Draco Malfoy's Point of View Prisoner of Azkaban
by VMorticia
Summary: Like the title says - this is part three of Draco's point of view on the events in the Harry Potter books. Has been edited in light of new information from Order of the Phoenix … SPOILER WARNING ... now complete ... please review.
1. Meet the Dementors

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar. A few tiny details of the Ministry interior design needed changing here, too.  
  
Buffy-fans will recognise who the Auror in this chapter is based on, right down to the first name although I made up the last name. And the guy who appears to tell the Auror about the emergency is right out of Now and Again. But Jeremy was my own invention ... and similar to Peter, in my mind's eye.  
  
Chapter 1 - Meet the Dementors  
  
It was fairly early in the holidays - I had carefully avoided Father since the first day, when I had been severely punished for letting Hermione (Mudblood) Granger get better grades than me - we may not have taken any exams at the end of the year, but we were graded on coursework, which usually makes thirty percent of the total grade. I had done a lot better than the previous year, especially in Transfiguration, but it hadn't been good enough because it was still only second-best.  
  
Breakfast passed in the now-familiar tense silence that it had become when Father was present for it. However, as I started to leave, he stopped me, "Draco."  
  
"Yes, Father?" I asked, pausing and turning to face him.  
  
"You remember I told you that when you were old enough I would take you to the Ministry, with me." he said, in a dispassionate voice that belied the last couple of weeks of tension and aggression between us.  
  
I nodded, trying not to show too much of my enthusiasm - I had been waiting for this for several years. "Yes, Father."  
  
Father simply smiled and gestured towards the door, indicating that that would be where we were going today. I also smiled, and followed him to the fireplace, where we took the Floo network to the main Ministry building.  
  
On arriving there, I dusted my robes - trying to look dignified and use Floo Powder at the same time is NOT easy. Father glared at me, but said nothing. How he managed to look spotless and unruffled after passing through a dozen Floo grates is anyone's guess.  
  
We were almost immediately greeted by a lower-level Ministry worker who had a rodent-y look about him - I would say weasel-ish look, but that sounds too much like the Weasleys, and that is so not what I mean. "Welcome, Mr Malfoy ... and this must be your son, Draco?"  
  
I gave him my best condescending smirk, by way of both greeting and confirmation of his statement.  
  
"Yes, Jeremy." Father sneered, "I sincerely hope you will show my son the same respect you show me."  
  
"Of course, Mr Malfoy." Jeremy replied, "What department of the Ministry would young Draco be interested in?" he asked, obviously directing the question to my father.  
  
"I love the way you talk about me like I'm not here." I noted sarcastically.  
  
Father gave me a sharp look that said I was being rude, but didn't comment on said rudeness. "Yes, Jeremy - do direct your question to Draco, himself." he said, smirking at the man's discomfort.  
  
"Yes, Mr Malfoy." Jeremy said, in a grovelling tone. Then, turning to face me directly, he asked, "What department of the Ministry do you see yourself possibly working in, after you graduate?"  
  
I really wanted to be an Unspeakable, but knew there was no point in trying to get to see how the Department of Mysteries operated, so I went for the next-best thing, "Magical Law Enforcement - I would kind of like to be an Auror." I said, smirking at both Jeremy's surprise and Father's almost-imperceptible shock.  
  
Jeremy stammered for a while, before nodding and saying, "Yes, well. I will see if I can arrange that, then." and he departed to find someone to look after me for the day. I assumed Father had arranged this in advance - sort of like a work-experience thing, where I get to see how the Ministry works and probably get landed with a load of donkeywork, while I'm here.  
  
Father gave me a searching look, "Why Aurors?" he asked, quietly - his voice betraying the shock his face refused to show.  
  
"Wouldn't it be a good thing to have someone on the inside, there?" I asked.  
  
I knew I'd said the right thing, as I saw relief, and very briefly pride, flash across his face. "Excellent reasoning, Draco."  
  
After a few minutes, Jeremy returned, with a woman following him. She had tan-coloured skin, brown eyes and a long dark hair tied back in a ponytail. She was the sort who inspired respect by simply being in the room - her whole attitude gave off an air of power and authority and the clicking noise her heels made as she walked sounded almost ominous.  
  
She waved her hand dismissively, at Jeremy, who immediately scurried off to be elsewhere. "Good morning, Lucius." she said, with a distinctive accent - I couldn't place it.  
  
Father nodded, smiling slightly, "Good morning, Kendra." he said, in a much warmer tone than he usually used.  
  
"Jeremy says that Draco wants to be an Auror when he grows up?" she asked.  
  
Father smiled and nodded, "That appears to be the case."  
  
"Is it all right with you if I take him for the day, then?" Kendra asked.  
  
"Certainly. I trust you won't let him get involved with anything dangerous." Father said.  
  
"We never let anyone out in the field on their first day, Lucius - I'm sure you know that." Kendra said, smiling. She then turned to speak to me directly, "Draco - would you like to come with me?" she asked, the words seemed condescending, to my mind, like she was speaking to a small child, but the tone somehow made it obvious that that was not her opinion of me. I nodded, and she immediately turned and started to walk away, calling over her shoulder, "See you later, Lucius." I followed, having to walk faster than usual to keep up with her.  
  
* * *  
  
The whole morning was spent in a stuffy office, on paperwork. I was bored out of my mind, and all Kendra had let me do was fetch and carry books and files for her.  
  
"Have I said how interesting this isn't?" I asked her, as I dropped another case-file on her desk.  
  
"Once or twice ... a minute." she answered, as she took the file and started leafing through it.  
  
"I mean, if you were trying to work out some sort of case, or something, it'd be interesting, but this is just plain dull." I said, leaning on the desk and staring blankly at the file she was working on.  
  
"I know what you mean, Draco." she said, smiling slightly, "Look at the bright side - it'll be lunch-break soon."  
  
"Can't be soon enough." I muttered.  
  
Just at that moment the door opened, "Kendra." a man said urgently. I turned to see who it was - he was fairly young-looking, with dark-brown hair, dark blue eyes, and the build of someone who works out, but still a light-weight, "We've got a problem."  
  
"What is it, Newman?" Kendra snapped.  
  
"Azkaban. Crouch wants you to go to talk to them about some supposed break-out." Newman answered, looking very disturbed by the message he was passing on. So he damned well should be, too - Azkaban is supposed to be impenetrable. I was shocked.  
  
"That's ridiculous." Kendra said acidly, "No one can escape from Azkaban."  
  
"Someone seems to have." Newman replied.  
  
Kendra rolled her eyes, "I'll check it out ... but what about the kid?" she asked.  
  
"I want to go with you." I replied, knowing I was the 'kid' she was referring to.  
  
She glared at me, "I don't think that's a good idea."  
  
"I'm here to find out what an Auror's job entails ... what better way than NOT-paperwork?" I asked, returning her glare.  
  
"I don't want to be responsible for traumatising Lucius Malfoy's son." Kendra replied icily.  
  
"I don't traumatise easily."  
  
She raised one eyebrow, and smirked, "If Lucius tries to kill me for this, I'm taking you with me then, too."  
  
I shrugged, smirking, and followed her out to the Apparation point. "Why are we here?" I asked, a little confused.  
  
"There are two ways to get to the island - by boat, which is not very reliable and takes too long - or by Apparation to a set point on the island, outside the security boundaries. I am going to Apparate." Kendra explained.  
  
"But I can't -" I started.  
  
"I am fully qualified to Apparate with a passenger ... all top-level Aurors are." she said, interrupting me, "One of the perks you can look forward to, if you decide you want to be an Auror."  
  
I stared at her for a moment, apprehensively - Apparating with someone else was very dangerous - there was a high risk of cross-splinching (body-parts ending up on the wrong person) ... you had to be very well trained and pass loads of extra tests to be licensed to take someone with you when Apparating - it was such a big deal, and so difficult, that very few ever bothered with it. Nervously, I took her offered hand. I felt a wave of nausea hit me, but it disappeared almost immediately. When I looked around me, my surroundings had changed. I hadn't realised Apparating was that simple, but I guessed that it must take a lot of concentration and magical energy from whoever is actually doing the Apparating.  
  
I almost instinctively gripped her hand tighter, as I saw where I was. We had appeared on a small plateau on a desolate island. The sky was overcast, with thick clouds that blocked out any sunlight there might have been. Icy waves from a steel-grey sea crashed incessantly on jagged rocks. And a damp stone pathway led down some steps, towards a vast, imposing fortress. Azkaban. I had only ever heard of it before, but I knew what the place was and what dark creatures guarded it.  
  
Kendra seemed almost frightened, herself, but hid it well. She also tightened her grip on my hand and led me along the decrepit path towards the prison building. I had thought it would be interesting to see the place - I had thought I was being brave by saying I wanted to see it - I had been bloody stupid. Too late to turn back, now.  
  
We climbed another set of steps, up to the barred entrance of the fortress, where I saw - for the first time in my life - a Dementor. It was towering over us, taller than any human, and completely concealed by a dark cloak - there were dozens of reasons why I didn't want to see what was under that cloak (two of them involve the possibility of losing various things - lunch included - through my mouth). It blocked our way, but didn't say anything - in a way, this silence was more frightening than if it had spoken - I wasn't even sure if they could speak.  
  
Kendra spoke, instead, "I am Kendra Kulami, top-ranking Auror at the Department for Magical Law Enforcement - I have been asked to come here, to speak with the Warden of the prison." she said, clearly and succinctly, as if she was deliberately articulating her speech.  
  
The Dementor then turned to look at me, and I backed away a step, still holding tightly to Kendra's hand. I was terrified of this thing, even though I was certain it would not hurt me as long as Kendra protected me. By just directing its attention towards me, it gave me the dark feeling I had only ever felt before after Father had used the Cruciatus curse on me - a feeling of total failure and resentment. I just stopped myself from trembling.  
  
"The boy is Draco Malfoy, son of the highly respected Ministry official, Lucius Malfoy. He is here with me, and will be leaving with me, as well." Kendra noted, in the same clear tone. I winced slightly at how easily she had said that - practiced, as if she dealt with this place often - with the same sort of practice with which I accept and might speak of the Cruciatus curse, she accepts and speaks of the nature of this prison. I bit my lip and forced myself to maintain an outward appearance of indifference that I had been painfully trained to show - meanwhile, I was going through some very dark thoughts, mostly about the mistakes I had made in my life, and a wondering of why I had so often been punished for doing the right thing - it made me feel totally awful.  
  
The Dementor accepted her explanation, although it continued to regard me with a little too much interest for my liking. It stepped back, to allow us to pass. I stayed close to Kendra and didn't let go of her hand as she led me inside the building. The darkest, dankest dungeons in either Malfoy Manor or Hogwarts castle would look like a seven star holiday resort, compared to this place. More Dementors glided silently past us, not giving us a second glance. As we went deeper into the building, corridors led off to both sides and the sounds of agonised screaming could be heard from these corridors. My grip on her hand tightened, again, and she looked down at me.  
  
"The cries of the prisoners." she said softly - the atmosphere here seemed to make speaking above a whisper just not an option. "That is the effect of the Dementors, to stay too long in their presence. Those criminals are trapped in their own personal hell, created inside their own minds, by their own guilt." I shivered nervously, "Enough to put you off the idea of breaking the law, isn't it?" she asked, in what was supposed to be a joking tone ... the humour was lost on this place. I smiled weakly and nodded - I was beginning to understand, now - I could feel the worst memories of my life forcing themselves to the front of my mind already - I could see how prolonged exposure to this could easily drive me insane. As long as I knew I would leave here soon, and it would go away when I left this literally damned place, I could handle it. This quite literally was hell, and I was eternally grateful that I was just visiting.  
  
Finally, when we must have reached the far side of the building, we came to a door directly in front of us. Kendra knocked sharply on this door, and a cold voice that sounded like death-cooled-down - almost as chilling as the Dark Lord's voice - answered, "Enter."  
  
Kendra opened the door and led me into a relatively well-furnished office. It was still dank and morbid - Snape would have been creeped out by this office - but it was much better, by far, than the rest of what I had seen here. "Hello, again, Phoebus." Kendra said cordially, to the figure standing before us. His back was turned to us, but I saw long, lank, black hair, over an almost-black hooded cloak, which currently had the hood, lowered. He turned round, and it was all I could do not to scream. His face was deathly pale - unnaturally so - and his skin seemed thin, almost translucent. His eyes were black - completely black. He scared me. The thought briefly flashed across my mind that he was actually a Dementor, but I dismissed that concept immediately - Dementors only showed their faces to perform the Kiss.  
  
"Ah, Kendra. Glad you could make it." Phoebus said, in that same tone that reminded me of rot and death.  
  
"I was told there was a breakout." Kendra said, getting straight to the point - it seemed she was not keen on staying any longer than necessary, either.  
  
"Indeed there was." Phoebus said calmly, "From the top-security wing. Sirius Black. When his guard brought him food -"  
  
"You call that stuff food?" Kendra muttered quietly, but Phoebus either didn't hear her or ignored her comment.  
  
"- an insubstantial presence passed through the doorway - too weak to detect accurately - and the cell appeared empty. Other guards report a similar presence passing through the corridors, but it escaped through the bars."  
  
"Define 'insubstantial presence'." Kendra said, also sounding very calm.  
  
"Less than human." Phoebus answered.  
  
"As in his mind had degraded that far, and he still managed to escape?" Kendra asked.  
  
"It would be the most likely conclusion." Phoebus said. Kendra nodded, and was just about to turn to leave, when Phoebus spoke again, "And who is the boy?"  
  
Kendra sighed, showing she had hoped not to draw this meeting out any more. Meanwhile, I answered the 'man's' question myself, "My name is Draco Malfoy."  
  
"That is your name ... but who are you?" he repeated.  
  
I gave him a confused look, while Kendra asked, "Do you have to do this now, Phoebus?"  
  
"Yes." Phoebus answered, without hesitation, "Let me look at you, boy." he added, beckoning for me to step forward. I glanced nervously at Kendra, who nodded and let go of my hand. That only made me more nervous, but still, I stepped forward, careful to hold my posture in a way that implies I'm not scared, even though I really was. Phoebus placed one finger under my chin and tilted my head up so that he could look me in the eyes. Those black eyes really gave me the creeps. "The eyes are the windows to the soul, you know, boy?" he said, staring at me, "Mine are black, showing what I am, but you need to look past simple colour to tell who you are looking at." I tried to see what he meant, but too-late I realised he was referring to the fact that he was looking at me, not the other way around, "You have great potential, Draco." he said, letting me go, and smiling - it looked eerie, but it was a genuine smile.  
  
I stepped back, and Kendra immediately took my hand again. "I don't need my hand held." I whispered to her.  
  
"I do." she replied quietly. That surprised me, but I didn't bother myself with it. To be honest, I felt safer with her hand in mine. Then, in her normal tone, she spoke, "Is that all, Phoebus?"  
  
"I believe so. Although, some of the guards wish to assist in the search, if that is permissible?" Phoebus replied.  
  
Kendra frowned, obviously not liking the idea. I didn't much like the concept of Dementors running around the countryside, either, to tell the truth. "We'll see. I will ask the Minister, and Head of Department for Magical Law Enforcement." she said, in a compromising tone. Phoebus seemed to accept this, even though it was the sort of 'we'll see' that usually means 'no'. "We'll be going now, then?" she asked, as in to imply that if he had anything else to say he'd better hurry up with it.  
  
Phoebus sighed, "It is such a shame. It does get lonely, with only the Dementors and the Demented for company, Kendra. I always look forward to visits from the Ministry."  
  
"I am sorry to say the feeling is anything but mutual. This place scares the hell out of any human who comes near it." Kendra said bluntly.  
  
Phoebus smiled, "Well, don't waste any time in regaining your sense of security." he said snidely.  
  
"It's not you I'm afraid of. It's them." she said, letting go of my hand only long enough to step forward and kiss him on the cheek.  
  
He obviously flinched at the kind action, and glared at her, "You can go now, Kendra." he growled.  
  
She smiled acidly at him, took my hand and led me out of the office.  
  
* * *  
  
Only when we had left the building itself, did I speak, "He's not all human is he?"  
  
"A half-breed." Kendra replied, obviously not intending to tell me any more on that subject.  
  
I trailed behind her a short distance, as we walked towards the plateaux. I was thinking - wondering what the hell Phoebus had meant by 'great potential'. I hate when people think they know something about me that I don't - it's very annoying. Suddenly, I thought I saw something move, out of the corner of my eye. I turned to face that direction, trying to identify the movement I had thought I'd seen. The barren landscape was totally motionless - there wasn't even the creepy, eerie breeze you'd expect on an island like this - the air was totally still. I frowned - I was sure something had moved. I shook my head, and ran to catch up with Kendra.  
  
"What took you so long?" she asked, as I reached the plateaux at the same moment she did.  
  
"I thought I saw something move, over there." I pointed in the relevant direction.  
  
She looked, too. "Nothing there." she said, after a minute.  
  
"Probably just my paranoid imagination." I muttered, taking her hand, and she Apparated us back to the Ministry building.  
  
As I looked around the familiar and noticeably warmer atrium of the Ministry building, I suddenly felt a lot safer. I watched as Kendra reached into a pocket of her robes and produced a chocolate bar, handing it to me. I gave her a quizzical look, but she simply ignored it, "I will have to palm you off on your father, now, Draco." she said, as she led me into the nearest lift, and pressed the button for the first floor, where I knew Father worked.  
  
"Why?" I asked, staring at a paper-airoplane-memo hovering above me as if I could read it (which I couldn't, by the way).  
  
"Because I, and all the rest of my department, have to go out to search for and hopefully apprehend the escapee. It will be dangerous." Kendra said calmly.  
  
"You notice, I'm not traumatised." I noted, subconsciously starting to unwrap the chocolate she had given me - sugar seemed like a good idea right about now, for some reason - I don't usually eat sweets before meals, and it was rapidly approaching lunch-time.  
  
"Yes - I am aware of that - very impressive, Draco." she said, smirking.  
  
"So who is this Sirius Black guy, anyway?" I asked, through a mouthful of the chocolate.  
  
"He murdered thirteen people with a single curse." she said, with a vicious tone that told me she'd just love the man to resist arrest so she could have an excuse to kill him.  
  
"Nice." I mumbled, still managing a sarcastic tone.  
  
She stopped at one of the many doors in the corridor, and rapped on it. "Come." Father's voice said sternly.  
  
Kendra opened the door and smiled at my father, who glared at her.  
  
"I'm afraid I have to return your son to you, Lucius." she said.  
  
"What has he done?" Father asked, now turning his glare on me. I quickly hid the chocolate wrapper behind my back.  
  
"Nothing wrong - he has been most helpful, actually." Kendra said, "I have simply had a dangerous assignment thrown at me, out of the blue, and I need to leave Draco in a safe place. Your office works." I couldn't help noticing a slight hint of a vindictive smirk on her face - she must have realised that Father really would not want me hanging around him at work.  
  
Father sighed, "Fine, fine." Kendra smiled and nodded in a way that was supposed to pretend to be a bow, before leaving. "Draco, make yourself useful, and take these -" he pointed to a small pile of files, "- to Arthur Weasley's office - I have no intention of going anywhere near the smug git at the moment." he added under his breath, "Self-satisfied bastard feels he has to rub my nose in his solitary lucky break."  
  
I spent the rest of the day helping my father with paperwork even more boring than that which Kendra had had me helping with.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 1 


	2. Once Was Enough, Thank You Very Much

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
How many of you thought this part was going to be last chapter, when you read the title of it?  
  
Chapter 2 - Once Was Enough, Thank You Very Much  
  
The morning of September 1st went by very quickly, and before I knew it I was getting onto the Hogwarts Express, being given a goodbye hug by my mother, and waving as the train pulled out of the station.  
  
I found Theo, Blaise and Cat in one compartment, and settled myself in there. Theo's hair had returned to its normal colour (brown) although it must have taken all summer - there were a few blonde bits at the tips, still. At least it didn't look as stupid as it had done. Blaise was happily reading a copy of the Monster Book of Monsters, and I wondered how she'd managed to make it behave. Cat was sitting in the corner looking very miserable and forlorn, and staring out the window with the sorry-for-herself look that only the truly depressed can manage.  
  
Seconds passed before Crabbe and Goyle showed up, and I told them to go sit with Pansy and Milli, who I knew were just in the next compartment to ours. With them out of the way, we were free to talk.  
  
"What's wrong, Cat?" I asked immediately.  
  
"Nothing, nothing." she said too-quickly. "Just this whole thing about an escaped murder on the run has got me a bit nervous, is all." she lied. Whatever was bugging her was definitely not making her nervous, that's for sure - it was making her miserable.  
  
"Tell the truth, Cat." I said softly. She looked up at me like a rabbit in headlights.  
  
"Promise you three will keep this a secret ... you won't tell anyone?" she asked.  
  
Blaise nodded silently.  
  
Theo nodded, "I promise."  
  
"No way I'd tell anyone your secret, Cat - you know too many of mine." I replied.  
  
Cat smiled weakly at my comment - she knew I was kidding about the reason why I'd not tell. "Remember I told you guys that my dad was in Azkaban for joining Snake-face and killing a load of Muggles?" she asked, looking at Theo and me, specifically. Theo's jaw dropped as he figured it out - it wasn't hard for me to work out what she was getting at, either.  
  
"Sirius Black's your father?" I asked. Cat nodded silently.  
  
"Wow." Theo whispered in awe.  
  
"It's nothing for me to be proud of, Theo." Cat said darkly, "He betrayed his best friend to Snake-face, killed another one of his friends and twelve Muggles that got in the way. He was sent to Azkaban without a trial, but there's no way he could have been innocent."  
  
"Who did he betray and kill?" Theo asked, with a degree of morbid fascination that only he could achieve.  
  
Cat glanced at me in a way that says she thought I'd not like the answer to that, before saying, "He betrayed the Potter family, and killed Peter Pettigrew."  
  
"The Potters. You mean scar-head's parents?" I asked.  
  
"No - all of them." Cat corrected, "Told Snake-face where to find them when they were hiding under a Fidelius Charm. It was thanks to him that they were murdered, and it was that night that Harry Potter became famous for surviving."  
  
"In a way he did us all a favour, setting that into motion and getting Snake-face disposed of, then." Theo noted.  
  
"If you can look at it that way." Blaise said quietly, "But he was still a traitor."  
  
Cat nodded, "And the popular theory is he wants to finish off Potter, thinking it'll bring Snake-face back." she noted.  
  
"It wouldn't, would it?" Blaise asked fearful of the possibility.  
  
"I doubt it." I said. If you think about it logically, it shouldn't.  
  
"I just said that's what people think." Cat said tetchily, "I know it doesn't work that way, but that's the way panicked Ministry people think escaped madmen think."  
  
Theo snorted at her wording, but tried not to show it. "Hey, you hear the Weasleys won a load of Galleons during the summer?" he asked.  
  
"No, I didn't know that." I replied.  
  
"Well they did - they got their picture in the paper, and all - blew the whole lot on a holiday to Egypt, too." Theo informed me.  
  
"Stupid idiots." Blaise muttered.  
  
"Aren't they just." I said, with a grin.  
  
The conversation soon turned to other topics. Who's the new DADA teacher? None of us knew. Who'd win the World Cup next year - my bet was still on the Falcons, who had made it to the British finals to be decided that week, while Cat was adamant they'd lose this match and the Bats would go to the internationals. Who'd win this year's school Quidditch Cup - Slytherin, obviously. When the snack trolley arrived, the topic obviously became what to eat - Theo got a handful of Blood-pops, again (Blaise looked sick when he actually started eating one of them - I swear there is something not right about that boy) - Cat got four chocolate frogs and hoarded them - Blaise and I both got Cauldron Cakes and Every Flavour Beans. Then the topic of discussion soon became whether or not Potter had missed the train this time and if he had, would he find another flying car? Eventually, I got tired of the debate on whether he'd fly a taxi, or a motorbike. Cat was adamant that a flying motorbike would be, and I quote "So cool" - it was my opinion that that very fact would mean that he wouldn't do it. I stood up, and made to leave the compartment.  
  
"Where're you going, Draco?" Blaise asked.  
  
"To see if he's actually on the train." I answered.  
  
"What're the odds?" Theo asked, and proceeded to take bets from the girls on whether or not Potter was present on the train, where he should be.  
  
I, meanwhile, walked down the corridor to the next compartment, to find my bodyguards. I peered in, and Pansy immediately spoke, "Draco, when are you going teach your thugs to buy their own food? I had to pay for those frogs and beans they scoffed!"  
  
"Next time I have to pay for it, but thanks for postponing that for me, Pansy." I replied coldly, "Crabbe, Goyle, follow me." I snapped.  
  
Both stood up and did as I said, "Where we goin'?" Crabbe asked.  
  
"To see if Potter missed the train again." I said, grinning. They sniggered at that and then followed silently as I walked down the train, peering into each compartment we passed. I was just beginning to think that Potter really had gone and missed the train again, when we got to the last compartment and there he was, along with his pet Weasley ... and Hermione, of course. She looked at me with an expression of surprise, while the other two looked mightily annoyed that I had made an appearance ... don't really blame them, since we have a mutual hatred of each other's need to inhale and exhale. "Well, look who it is. Potty and the Weasel." I said, mildly surprised they were here. Crabbe and Goyle sniggered idiotically, behind me. Sheesh, they're easily amused. "I heard your father got his hands on some gold this summer, Weasley. Did your mother die of shock?" I asked ... now that one was supposed to be funny - why didn't the Daft Duo laugh?  
  
Weasley stood up, snarling. Someone in the corner, who I hadn't seen and who was obviously asleep, snorted. The offending sound came from an adult male, probably in his early thirties, but going grey already.  
  
"Who's that?" I asked, startled.  
  
"New teacher." Potter growled, standing up to join his Weasel in threatening me. "What were you saying, Malfoy?" he asked, knowing damned well that I was not stupid enough to start a fight with a teacher in the room. I ordered the Two Twits (Crabbe and Goyle) to follow me again, and left, very much pissed off.  
  
I abandoned the Brainless Boys in the compartment they had originally inhabited, and rejoined Theo, Cat and Blaise. "Potter's here - in the last compartment of the train, with his little gang, and a teacher to boot." I said, "So who won the bet?" I asked.  
  
Cat grinned, "I won. Pay up, Theo."  
  
Grudgingly, he did. Then we returned to the randomly shifting discussion. Our new classes. How Blaise managed to tame that book - she never did tell us. Why the train was suddenly slowing down - far too early. Why the lights went off ... now that could not be good.  
  
"Maybe the train's been drained." Blaise suggested. "Lost its magical energy - there's some magical creatures can do that, you know."  
  
"It's raining outside." Theo said, glancing out the window, "And someone's getting on the train." he added, in a confused and wondering tone.  
  
Cat frowned, "I've got a bad feeling about this." she said nervously.  
  
"I'll see what's going on." I said, stepping out into the corridor. I turned towards the front of the train, where I saw something I'd hoped I'd never see again - a Dementor. My eyes widened in fear, and I backed away. I vaguely heard Theo asking what was wrong, but after a few seconds I came to my senses and bolted into the nearest compartment, closing the door behind me.  
  
"Well, well, well, look who's here." a Weasley twin said - both red-heads were holding lit wands, and glaring daggers at me.  
  
"What's going on, Malfoy?" the other twin asked.  
  
I opened my mouth to answer, but the door opened and Cat bolted in, "Draco - what scared you?" she asked.  
  
"Didn't you see it? At the front of the train?" I asked.  
  
"I wasn't looking that way - I was looking for you." she insisted.  
  
"Why did you bring those?" a twin asked, indicating the two chocolate frogs she had in her hand.  
  
"Dunno - instinct said bring chocolate. My instincts are good - that's why I'm going to take Divination class." she replied.  
  
"Your instincts were great, kid." the other Weasley said, snatching a frog from her.  
  
"Hey! Mine!" she yelled, trying to take it back.  
  
Just then, the door opened, and the Dementor I had seen moments ago entered. Cat shrieked, covering her mouth and backing into a corner. The twins gawped like idiots, also backing away towards the window. I backed into one of the seats, and climbed onto in, ending up sitting in the corner with my knees in front of my chest, biting my lips together and staring fearfully at the creature.  
  
It looked to each of us in turn, making me sick to my stomach when it looked at me, and again giving me that feeling I had previously associated with the aftermath of the Cruciatus curse. Then it swept ominously out of the compartment, and proceeded down the train. After it left, the twins were the first to recover. "Blimey - that was freaky." one said.  
  
"Hell, yes." the other added.  
  
"They were looking for Black." Cat muttered, looking pretty shaken herself, "In case he'd stow-away on the train."  
  
"Probably." I said, trying not to shake too obviously, "Do they have to terrorise students, though?" I asked.  
  
"Why? Scared, Malfoy?" one Weasley asked.  
  
"Like I'd admit it to you, if I was." I said coldly.  
  
"That's a yes, then." the other twin said, trying to grin, but not doing a very convincing job of it.  
  
Cat looked at the chocolate frog in her hand, then the one the Weasley had taken from her, and opened hers, bisecting it with a severing charm, and handing me a still-twitching half of it, "Chocolate helps." she said, as she took a bite of her half.  
  
I took the offered chocolate, and ate it, trusting Cat enough to do so. The Weasley twins looked at each other before opening their stolen frog and devouring it. Cat glared at them, but let it go without retaliation.  
  
Suddenly, the door opened again. I half expected the Dementor to reappear, but relaxed when I recognised the new teacher standing in the doorway, looking at us with concern evident in his pale brown eyes, "Is everyone all right in here?" he asked.  
  
"Yes, Professor." I answered immediately.  
  
"Professor?" Cat asked with great incredulity, as she looked at the man, "You're a professor?" she repeated, grinning.  
  
"Yes, Cat - why? Does that surprise you?" the man asked, smiling faintly.  
  
"Hell, yes." she said cheerfully. I stared at her in surprise - she had just used a swearword in front of a teacher - who was this and what had she done with Catarina Feral?  
  
"Language, Cat - I am a teacher, now, you know." the man said in an amused tone.  
  
"Yuhuh." Cat replied in a yeah-right tone, "How'd you get the job?"  
  
"No one else would take it, and it is an essential subject." he replied, "I will speak to you later, Cat." he added in a warning tone, before leaving.  
  
"You know him, Cat?" I asked, surprised.  
  
"Yep." she said, smirking, "He's a friend of the family. Remus Lupin ... one guess what his Squib brother's name is."  
  
The twins started sniggering, "Remus Lupin - what parents are cruel enough to call their kid that?" one asked.  
  
"That's as funny as if Feral's last name had been Black -" the other twin said, grinning. Cat blanched at that statement, but not for the reason the twins must have thought, "- picture the Sorting, Feral."  
  
"Black, Cat!" the first twin called out, trying to impersonate McGonagall.  
  
"Very funny - don't quit your day-job, stand-up comics you will never be." I growled.  
  
"Besides," Cat said, regaining her composure and actually smiling with the twins, "Feral Cat is almost as funny." she pronounced the name the way you'd expect: *Fer*al, while she normally pronounces it: Fe*ral*.  
  
"Seriously." one twin said, "In mythology, Romulus and Remus were raised by wolves."  
  
"And Lupin sounds a lot like lupine." the other finished.  
  
"It'd be like one of the De Vils calling their kid Lucifer." the first twin noted.  
  
I snorted, but quickly hid my amusement, "Right, well, we're leaving." I said, dragging Cat away from the twins, and back to our own compartment.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 2 


	3. Everything You Never Cared About, About ...

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar. Also, Theo sees something he didn't see before I read OotP.  
  
dragonsprincess: I've seen thee list on that site you sent me to, once before ... it's funny, yes. Hmmm ... I might not get rid of Cat, but I'm still debating it. Yeah, well, Cat was supposed to be born after Sirius went to Azkaban ... Sirius doesn't know about her, but she knows about him. OMG that image you got from chapter 1 is hilarious! I love it! And I'm working on this as fast as I can, honestly.  
  
dstrbd child: Hate Harry, eh? I can understand that. Draco is also my favourite character, and as such, I agree with his opinion of Harry. I'm glad someone recognised Kendra, though.  
  
lil_sngelgirl000: Thank you. I'm still working on this fic, and I'm not likely to stop any time soon.  
  
The Muggle Studies teacher is based on someone I really know. He really is a Professor, and that really is his name.  
  
Chapter 3 - Everything You Never Cared About, About Muggles, And Then Some  
  
We got off the train and onto the horseless-carriages, Cat, Blaise, Theo and some random Ravenclaw all took one, leaving me alone - Pansy and Milli seemed to decide that Ravenclaws were better company than me, as well. I ended up joining Daft and Dafter in a carriage. And to add to the 'fun', Longbottom jumped in as we were pulling off, "Sorry." he muttered, "No room anywhere else."  
  
I glared at him, but said nothing. The carriage trundled up towards the school, passing through the gates. As I looked out the window, I saw two Dementors guarding the gates - again, I felt that cold, worthless feeling, but I quite deliberately put on a fake smirk and turned to Longbottom, "Lovely creatures, aren't they?" I asked him.  
  
He gave me a you're-crazy look, "Not all of us are deranged evil gits, Malfoy." he said.  
  
"Why? Scared, Longbottom?" I asked jeeringly, "I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave?"  
  
"Brave means standing up to something even if you're scared of it - not being scared of something like them isn't brave, it's just plain stupid." Longbottom replied.  
  
You've got to admit, he's got a point, but I wasn't about to tell him this, "So that's a yes, then." I said simply.  
  
"I'm not the only one, either!" Longbottom said defensively, "Ginny was freaking out, too, and Harry fainted!" as soon as he said this, he clapped his hand over his mouth, realising who he had just said it to.  
  
"He did?" I asked, truly grinning, now. Longbottom shook his head in the way that says he had really told the truth but ought not to have and was trying to take it back. "This is priceless!" I said, "Thank you, Longbottom - you have been most helpful, for a change."  
  
Still smirking, I leaned out the window again, and looked back towards the gates - it was then that I spotted Hermione leaning out of the window of the carriage behind us, and waved to her, discreetly - she saw me and smiled. At least she didn't still hate me - last time I had spoken to her at all had been before she was Petrified, last year ... and I think my last words to her, that she heard, were insulting.  
  
As soon as the carriages stopped, I jumped out and made a point of intercepting Potter, "You fainted, Potter?" I asked, with sadistic amusement, "Is Longbottom telling the truth? You actually fainted?" I heard Longbottom whimper and scarper, behind me, as I pushed past Hermione.  
  
"Shove off, Malfoy." Weasley-the-sidekick growled angrily.  
  
"Did you faint as well, Weasley?" I asked, just trying to bait him, "Did the scary old Dementor frighten you, too, Weasley?"  
  
"Is there a problem?" Lupin's voice asked, from behind Weasley.  
  
I glared at him - there was something about him that just did not seem right, and I couldn't place it - he just gave me an odd feeling, like the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. It didn't help him much that Cat held little-to-no respect for his authority as a teacher, either. The final straw in my decision to be an insolent prat to this particular teacher was the terrible, shabby state of his robes and the briefcase he carried. "Oh, no - ah - Professor." I said sarcastically, smirking as his eyes showed annoyance - he appeared to have the ability to keep his emotions only in his eyes and not in his face - a very good skill to have, but it didn't affect my decision not to like him. I indicated to the Pea-brained Pair to follow me, and walked up to the castle.  
  
I grabbed Theo by the collar of his robes, in passing. "What are you gawping at?" I asked.  
  
"You can't see them?" he asked, stunned.  
  
"No clue what you're prattling about." I said coldly.  
  
Theo shot a look over his shoulder, at a Ravenclaw girl, who gave him an 'I told you so' look, as I dragged Theo into the castle.  
  
* * *  
  
We caught up with the girls (all four of them) at the Slytherin table in the Great hall.  
  
"What kept you, Draco?" Pansy asked, pouting slightly.  
  
"Potter." I said, as if that explained it ... in a way, it did, "Did you guys know he actually fainted, when the Dementor showed up?"  
  
"You're kidding." Theo cheered gleefully.  
  
"Nope." I said, grinning and shaking my head.  
  
"How'd he manage that?" Blaise asked.  
  
"I expect it looked something like this." I said, before pulling an effective impersonation of a fainting fit. I had no idea if that's what it looked like, but it looked good, either way. Everyone started laughing, as I picked myself up and bowed to my audience. Snape and Dumbledore had been the only teachers present at the time, and both turned a blind eye - Snape actually smiled at my little display, probably because it was at Potter's expense.  
  
The Sorting was so boring I won't even bother with it. Potter and Hermione reappeared after that, and most of the Slytherins (along with several students from other houses) started sniggering, whispering, and pointing at him. I grinned viciously. Hermione spotted me, and glared at me - I'd bet she guessed that I'd told everyone about Potter fainting - she is smart enough to figure that out.  
  
After everyone had settled down, Dumbledore stood to address the Hall, "Welcome!" he said, in a warm voice that totally dispelled the tension the Dementors had instilled in most of the students, "Welcome to another year at Hogwarts! I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by out excellent feast."  
  
I could hear Cat, who was sitting next to me, muttering under her breath, "I hate that pun, I hate that pun, I hate that pun." I assumed she was referring to the word 'serious'.  
  
Dumbledore cleared his throat, seeming to look straight at Cat, who stopped muttered and blushed. Dumbledore then continued his announcements, "As you will all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the Dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." he really didn't look too pleased about this - if I didn't know better, that he was a very open-minded man, I'd think he had a real grudge against the Dementors, "They are stationed at every entrance to the grounds, and while they are with us, I must make it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are not to be fooled by tricks or disguises - or even Invisibility Cloaks. It is not in the nature of a Dementor to understand pleading or excuses. I therefore warn each and every one of you to give them no reason to harm you. I look to the Prefects, and our new Head Boy and Girl, to make sure that no student runs foul of the Dementors." he paused to look at us - the whole Hall was silent as he seemed to systematically look each and every one of us in the eyes. Then, "On a happier note, I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. Firstly, Professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher." Cat sniggered, while very few of the students even bothered to acknowledge Lupin (who looked pathetic, in those old worn robes, next to all the other teachers - I've seen Weasleys wearing more expensive clothes) - the only real applause came from a small group of Gryffindors, which happened to include Potter. I also noticed that Snape didn't seem too pleased that Lupin was breathing the same oxygen as he was ... or that he was breathing at all, for that matter. "As to our second new appointment, well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubeus Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duties."  
  
"That big oaf ... a teacher?" I asked sceptically, as very few Slytherins were cheering, I was able to hear myself think, though I doubt the Gryffindors could, even if they did think at all.  
  
"Well it explains why we had to get that book." Blaise said, with a self-satisfied smirk - she still hadn't told us how to get said book to behave.  
  
"Smug bitch." Theo muttered. Blaise replied to this by broadening her smirk.  
  
"Well I think that's everything of importance. Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore said, and the feast picked that moment to appear on the tables.  
  
* * *  
  
That night, as I lay in bed, listening to the drone of Crabbe and Goyle's snoring, Theo whispered, "Draco. You still awake?"  
  
"Yes. What is it?" I replied, also in a whispered voice.  
  
"What did the Dementor make you feel like?" he asked.  
  
I turned onto my side, to look across to his bed - he was staring at the ceiling. "You tell me, first."  
  
He glanced at me, then back to the ceiling, "It felt like I'd lost everything I'd ever held dear to me - like I had no reason to live anymore ... must be what depression feels like, but I wouldn't know from previous experience." he said, shrugging.  
  
"Lucky." I muttered. "I never told you why I was upset after the Quidditch game against Gryffindor, last year."  
  
"I guessed it was cause we lost." Theo replied.  
  
"Not really. The real problem was that I was punished for losing." I said quietly, "Father seems to think it does me good to be exposed to weak doses of the Cruciatus curse when I make mistakes, or fail at anything."  
  
"Yeouch - that's gotta hurt." Theo muttered.  
  
"How observant of you." I said snidely, then I turned perfectly serious, "But the reason I told you that - the Dementor reminded me of how I felt after every time I was punished that way - total worthlessness, misery and resentment - a cold, dark feeling that I always associate with failure." I said, my eyes closed, frowning.  
  
When I opened my eyes again, Theo was staring straight at me, "That's just ... wow ... and I thought you had it all, Draco."  
  
"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.  
  
"I thought you had everything - you're rich, powerful, a Pureblood ... me, my family's just getting by, both in money and power, and my mom's a half-blood." Theo replied, "I thought you were the lucky one, but I'd never guessed your dad was such a rotten git."  
  
I suddenly felt a rush of anger, and I'm sure it must have shown in my eyes, "Don't insult my father." I growled.  
  
"What?" Theo asked, shocked, "You just said he uses the Cruciatus curse on you, and you're defending him?"  
  
"That's right." I said, glaring daggers at him.  
  
He shook his head, and looked away, "Whatever you say, Draco." he muttered.  
  
* * *  
  
"Muggle studies this morning." Theo announced, as I sat down next to him at breakfast, and he handed me a timetable. I looked at it, noticing that both new subjects were that day.  
  
"Cool." I replied distractedly.  
  
"Hey, Draco - do that thing again, will you?" Pansy asked hopefully.  
  
"What? My impersonation? I'm that good an actor?" I asked, smirking.  
  
"Yes, definitely." Pansy enthused.  
  
I rolled my eyes, smirking, "If you really want, Pansy." and I proceeded to draw the attention of as many of the surrounding Slytherins as possible, before doing another impersonation of how I pictured Potter passing out. I picked myself up, lapping up the attention - Potter was walking right past me, and almost everyone in the immediate vicinity was paying attention to me, instead.  
  
Potter did his best to ignore me, but looked awfully put out, all the same. It was perfect, until Pansy decided Potter warranted her attention more than I did, and started calling to him, "Hey, Potter! Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooo!"  
  
Suddenly, the attention wasn't so sweet anymore - it was only because I was playing off Potter - I was impersonating him, for gods' sakes - admittedly impersonating him making a bloody idiot of himself, but the attention I was getting for it was reflected glory from him, "Pansy." I sighed, "Sit down."  
  
"What's wrong, Draco?" she asked, sitting opposite me and starting eating her breakfast.  
  
I shook my head, "Forget it." then cheering up, I asked, "What subject have you got first?"  
  
"Latin." Pansy replied.  
  
"Who takes Latin in secondary school?" Theo asked, surprised, "'Cept Muggle-borns?" he added as an afterthought.  
  
"Yeah, any self-respecting Pureblood knows Latin by this stage, Pansy - why do you need it?" Blaise asked.  
  
"I was sick, if you remember, Draco - I never attended our Latin lessons in primary school, and I need to catch up, now." Pansy huffed.  
  
Theo made a noise that sounded like, "Pffft."  
  
* * *  
  
Muggle Studies class was on the fifth floor, not far from where the rumours said the Hufflepuff house common room's secret entrance was. Crabbe and Goyle took that class, purely because I did - they almost never do anything on there own. Theo was there, as well. What surprised me was that as well as five Ravenclaws and two Hufflepuffs, Hermione was also there.  
  
She gave me a surprised look, but didn't get a chance to say anything, because the teacher arrived at that moment. The teacher was a middle-aged wizard with short greying hair and friendly face. Admittedly, he was wearing Muggle clothes, but I took an instant liking to him, as a teacher - he was a lot better than McGonagall, already.  
  
"Alright, students, go on in." he said cheerily. When we had all taken our seats (I sat next to Theo, across the aisle from Hermione, and in front of Crabbe and Goyle), he then began. "My name is Professor Maurice Savage. I am Muggle-Born, and have dedicated myself to educating the magical world about Muggle life. We will be starting, today, with some basic principles of Muggle physics. There are certain laws of physics that we all know, quite easily, how to break using magic. Muggles cannot break these laws. The most obvious one would be gravity. Can anyone here tell me how Muggles manage to fly without magic?"  
  
Hermione's hand shot into the air. Professor Savage scanned the rest of the room, and was about to ask Hermione when, purely to spite Hermione's know-it-all attitude, I raised my hand. Theo buried his face in his hands, guessing what answer I would give.  
  
"Yes, Mr Malfoy?" the Professor said.  
  
"Helicopters." I answered. Theo audibly groaned - he'd seen that one coming a mile away. Hermione rolled her eyes at me.  
  
"Indeed. But can you tell me how a helicopter manages to stay in the air?" I gave him a blank look for that, and he turned to Hermione, whose hand was still raised. "Miss Granger."  
  
"Aerofoils." she answered, grinning.  
  
"Exactly." Professor Savage said triumphantly, "Most Muggle aircraft work using aerofoils. These are specially shaped blades that, when moving at the correct speed and angle, produce sufficient lift to counteract the force of gravity." he continued on this tangent for some time, and we ended up writing down the ratios of lift, weight, thrust and drag in airplanes, the angles of attack for wings, the mechanics of exactly why an aerofoil works, and why helicopters need tail-rotors. That took the whole lesson, and we still had a load more to read up on, for homework.  
  
As we left the class, I told Crabbe and Goyle to go on ahead, and I fell into step with Hermione, "Hey, Granger." I said, as I did so.  
  
She glanced at Theo, nervously, before answering, "What do you want, Malfoy?"  
  
"Theo - Hermione ... Hermione - Theo." I said, introducing the two.  
  
"Hi." Theo said, with a grin.  
  
"Hello." Hermione said sceptically.  
  
"I told you I wasn't the only Slytherin who didn't like Him." I said, making it obvious that I was referring to the Dark Lord by the way I said the word 'Him'.  
  
"You're introducing me to one of your friends?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Yeah." I said, smirking at her confusion, "Watch what you say to this freak, though. He's got a twisted idea of humour, and likes to share it."  
  
"Thanks, Draco." Theo said sarcastically. He then turned his attention on Hermione, "So why's a Muggle-born taking Muggle Studies, then?"  
  
Hermione gave him an evaluating look, but eventually decided he was in the benign category of evil, "Because I wanted to get a better idea of how wizards view the Muggle world. You'd be surprised what you can learn by looking at things from a different angle." she answered.  
  
Theo nodded in what was supposed to look like a knowing way, but really made it look like every word of that had gone over his head, "Right." he said in a tone to match his action.  
  
"So why are YOU taking Muggle Studies, Malfoy?" Hermione asked.  
  
"Because I thought it'd be interesting, but if it keeps going like this, it'll soon rival History of Magic." I replied.  
  
"I hope it gets better, too." Hermione said quietly, "There's more to Muggles that Principles of Non-Magical Flight, believe me."  
  
"I believe you." I replied.  
  
Theo was watching me carefully, now, as Hermione said, "I wanted to say thank you. You really did help, last year."  
  
"Just don't tell Potter. Like I said, I'm still his enemy, even if I'm not yours." I noted.  
  
As we reached a junction in the corridor, Hermione smiled and said, "I'd better get to my next class, now. I'll see you later. Nice to meet you, Theo."  
  
Theo nodded, "The feeling's mutual, Hermione." he replied before bowing in a Gryffindorish way.  
  
"Don't mind him - he's a drama-queen." I said, smirking.  
  
Theo also smirked, "Don't put ideas in my head, Draco." he said, and we turned left towards Defence Against the Dark Arts class, as she took the right turn in the general direction of not-where-we-were-going.  
  
"You like her." Theo said as soon as we were out of her hearing range.  
  
I missed a step, almost tripped up, when he said that, "What do you mean?" I asked, shocked.  
  
"You like her in the way that your father would murder you for." Theo said grinning.  
  
I glared at him, "What makes you think that?" I growled.  
  
"Well the way you reacted just confirmed it." Theo said, grinning, "But it's the way you look at her ... who'd have thought it - a Malfoy fancies a Mudblood."  
  
"Theo. If you ever say anything like that again, I will have to kill you." I said cheerfully.  
  
"But you're not denying it, are you?"  
  
"I plead the fifth." I replied.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 3 


	4. Fear

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
~Ravenclaw@Heart~: Thank you, I fixed that Lucas thing as soon as I got your review notification.  
  
dragonsprincess: Yes, I fixed the mistake. And I was proud of Draco's reaction, there - thank you for noticing it.  
  
Akuma-sama: Oh, the plot-bunnies for OotP are already better formed than those for GoF ... I know what I'm doing *evil cackle ... cough cough* anyway ... yes, you're right, but I'm not going AU (well, maybe Anti-Umbridge - did anyone notice that in the OotP? One of the suggested names for the DA was the Anti-Umbridge League).  
  
dstrbd child: The pennames of good Slyth fic writers are: Amberdulen (The Serpent's Society), J. L. Matthew (Slytherin Rising), and if you like comedy/Slyth!Harry there's Akuma-sama (The Snake Who Lived). There are more, but those are the best three (and the three I remember right now).  
  
lil_angelgirl000: Yes I am updating ... witness my updating ... I'm just taking as long as it takes me to edit the story.  
  
I had to work out how to do this, because the Gryffindors finished off their Boggart, and Lupin clearly told the Gryffs that the Boggart they faced moved in "yesterday afternoon" and Draco would have been in the Hospital Wing for the day before Harry's first DADA class. So I worked out this way of getting around that and still teaching the Slyths about Boggarts - I had to show everyone's greatest fears - it's pivotal to aspects of the plot.  
  
Chapter 4 - Fear  
  
Defence Against the Dark Arts followed the Muggle Studies lesson. The entire Slytherin third year were eagerly awaiting this, to find out more about who would be teaching us, and what horrible things Theo and I had planned for him. We were kind of infamous as the cause of trouble in any Defence class.  
  
"Good morning, class." Lupin said, waiting for a response, but no one said anything, so he continued regardless, "Today's lesson will be a practical one."  
  
"Oh, no!" Theo said loudly, "Lockhart did that to the Gryffindors last year!"  
  
Lupin smiled, "I assure you, I am not on a level with the great incompetence that is Lockhart." he said. Theo snorted with laughter, in response to that. I smirked - maybe he wasn't so bad after all. "I do know what I'm doing. Now, if you would all gather around at the front of the classroom." he said, gesturing towards his desk. Nervously, we all stood up and walked over to crowd around the desk. Something rattled in the largest bottom drawer behind said desk.  
  
"What's that?" I asked, eyeing the drawer suspiciously.  
  
Lupin seemed completely unperturbed by the answer he gave us, "It's a Boggart."  
  
A couple of the girls backed away and Theo's eyes lit up with interest. "Oh so cool!" Theo said.  
  
Lupin gave the insane boy an odd look that said he recognised the fact that he was insane, before continuing, "I assume you all know what a Boggart is?" he asked. Everyone in the class nodded. "Do any of you know how to get rid of one?" I didn't, and by the looks of them, neither did anyone else, but we were all too proud to admit it - only Cat so much as shook her head. Lupin smiled at this, but then said, "Well, that's what I'm going to teach you today. Who can tell me what a Boggart looks like?" There were a few confused looks exchanged, before I raised my hand. "Mr Malfoy?"  
  
"It looks like whatever the person nearest it fears the most." I said.  
  
"Correct - five points for Slytherin." he said smiling. I smirked, proud to achieve my first house-points of the year. Lupin then continued, "Now, has anyone here met one of these creatures before - not you Cat." Cat looked a little miffed at that, and folded her arms across her chest in a huff. Only Milli and I raised our hands for that one. Lupin pointed to Milli, "Miss Bullstrode - tell me, how it was dealt with?"  
  
"I was only five. My mom shooed me out of the room, and when I came back in it was gone." she said, shrugging.  
  
Lupin turned to me, with the expression that says he wants me to answer the same question, "I was nine. Father cast some sort of spell at it - I can't remember what, but it turned the Boggart into something that made me laugh ... then it just vanished in a puff of smoke." I said, remembering the incident - the Boggart had been a werewolf, then - have I ever told you that I'm terrified of werewolves?  
  
Lupin nodded, "And what would you say you were most afraid of, in the world, Mr Malfoy?"  
  
I thought about it for a moment - werewolves were one thought, but I'd grown up since the last time I saw one of those things, and I was more afraid of Lord Snake-Bastard now, "Do I have to answer that?" I asked.  
  
"If you don't tell me now, I will find out when you have to face the Boggart." he replied calmly.  
  
I blanched, "I don't have to face it in front of the whole class?" I asked, terrified.  
  
"Yes, you do - you all do." he added, glancing at the rest of the class. On receiving only silence for that, he continued, "The key to defeating a Boggart is laughter - the charm to help with this is 'Riddikulus'. Everyone say it with me -"  
  
"Riddikulus." the whole class said together.  
  
The drawer rattled a little more violently. "Now." Lupin said cheerfully, "Mr Malfoy, since you have the most experience with this." he was smirking as he said that - does he have something against me or is he trying to favour me? It's not easy to tell. "You can go first." I rolled my eyes, not particularly wanting to do this, but I took out my wand and stepped forward, around the desk. "Before I release it, I want you all to think of your worst fear and a way in which you might make it funny. When one of you succeeds in casting the spell, you will restrain yourselves from laughing at it and the next person will step forward. Is that understood?" we all nodded. After a few minutes, Lupin asked, "Are you all ready." he was met with a series of silent nods, then he tapped the lock on the drawer with his wand and stepped back.  
  
What appeared in front of the drawer was, unfortunately, exactly what I'd expected, but I had no idea how to make it look funny. The tall figure in dark robes, with chalk-white skin, long spider-like fingers, a flat nose and red eyes, advanced slowly towards me - the Dark Lord. Pansy shrieked. I backed away fearfully - I couldn't think of anything funny about this.  
  
As I backed into the wall behind me, the cold and unfortunately familiar voice spoke from the Boggart, "It was you. I warned you, if I ever found out you would pay."  
  
My eyes widened for a second before I slid down the wall, covering my face, defensively.  
  
"Bullstrode - step forward." Lupin said, sounding a little frightened, himself.  
  
I heard Milli's footsteps and looked up to see what looked a lot like a Lethifold, moving towards Milli - she pointed her wand at it and shouted, "Riddikulus!" and the living cloak turned from black to multicoloured, at which she began to grin.  
  
I scrambled quickly away from the Boggart as Lupin called up each student in turn.  
  
Goyle's Boggart turned into a human-sized piece of broccoli, which he eventually managed to turn into an equally large ice-cream-cone. Crabbe ran forward, intent on this ice-cream, but when he got within range, it became a swarm of killer-Brussels-sprouts. He managed to turn it into rather bloodily mutilated and dead killer-Brussels-sprouts (Brussels sprouts bleeding all over the floor is surprisingly funny).  
  
Pansy was afraid of the clown that had been at my seventh birthday party. She had him choking on his fake nose.  
  
Blaise's greatest fear appeared to be a vampire, which she de-fanged.  
  
When it came to Cat's turn, however, the Boggart took the form of Sirius Black (I recognised him from pictures I had seen in the papers) who approached her, reaching out to her in apparent desperation, "Help me, Cat. Please - they're after me - you have to help me."  
  
She backed away a few steps, but quickly came to her senses and cast the spell. Black turned into what looked like a large black dog rolling on its back asking for its tummy to be rubbed ... why she had connected that to Black, I don't know or care, but it was funny. Lupin seemed to suddenly turn very pale, on seeing this.  
  
Theo was last. He stepped forward, giving Cat a curious look, as if asking 'what the hell?', and the Boggart transformed into a tall, cloaked figure, wearing a mask - one of Them ... a Death Eater. After a moment of confusion, in which Theo seemed not to understand why the Boggart had turned into what it had - he didn't look scared, either - the Boggart removed its mask to reveal Theo's own face. Theo blinked, "This is my greatest fear in the whole world?" he asked, "Bloody hell!" he then pointed at the Boggart version of himself, "You stupid git - sucks to be you." and he started laughing at it without needing to even cast the charm.  
  
The Boggart seemed pretty horrified for the few seconds before it went up in smoke.  
  
Lupin was not best pleased, "I told you to restrain yourself from laughing, Mr Nott." he said, sounding calm even though he was pissed off - he also seemed a little shocked, as he asked, "And how did you find it funny, without casting the charm on it?"  
  
Theo looked at me, but I shrugged, staying well out of it, so he turned back to face the teacher and said, "I just find it funny that I'm afraid of something so ... ridiculous." he said, grinning.  
  
"You were laughing at yourself?" Lupin asked. Theo nodded. "You are able to laugh at your worst fear?" another nod. "What kind of crazy-person are you?"  
  
"The good kind?" Theo asked hopefully.  
  
Lupin smiled, shaking his head, "Whatever." he said sighing, "Five points to everyone who successfully cast the charm at the Boggart ... now I need to find a new one for the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor classes ... this morning's Hufflepuff class at least know how to follow instructions." he said glaring at Theo. "Mr Malfoy, I want to talk to you, after class ... Cat - you too. The rest of you can go now - class dismissed."  
  
There was a rush for the door, which Cat and I declined from joining in.  
  
When the room was empty aside from Cat, Lupin and I, Lupin spoke, "Mr Malfoy - why were you unable to cast the charm?"  
  
"I couldn't think of any way to make Him funny, sir." I answered honestly.  
  
"I see what you mean ... try women's underwear, next time - it seemed to work well for the Hufflepuff who was afraid of Gilderoy Lockhart." he said, with a smile. I smirked at the mental picture, (though why anyone would be that scared of Lockhart is beyond me, but this is a Hufflepuff we're talking about, isn't it) and nodded. "Although, I wonder why you would be afraid of Him, more than anything else?" he asked.  
  
"Why?" I inquired. Better to know exactly the answer someone is looking for, before giving one that may be incriminating, for no good reason.  
  
"To put it bluntly, Malfoy - your family is known to be the type not to need to fear Him." Lupin answered.  
  
"Nicely put." I muttered, before answering, "Even His most loyal servants would fear Him, sir, so what makes you think I wouldn't?"  
  
Lupin nodded, accepting my answer, "Fine - you can go, now, Malfoy."  
  
And so I grabbed my bag and left. I stopped outside the door, to wait for Cat. It's not my fault that I overheard the following conversation, but even if I had felt like spying, I would have thought they'd have been discussing something to do with her schoolwork - not what they ended up really talking about.  
  
"Cat - I wonder - why would the Boggart take that form, for you? I didn't think you were afraid of him."  
  
"I - I'm not afraid of him, as such ... I'm afraid that he'll want me to help him, when I know I can't."  
  
"And why did you choose that form to force the Boggart to turn into? How did you connect it to him?" his voice sounded tense, maybe even nervous.  
  
"I don't know. It just seemed right ... and funny." she said with amusement still in her voice.  
  
"I see." his relief was audible, "So you're not going to try to help him, if he asked you?"  
  
"No." she sounded very adamant about that, "Why would I want to help the madman he's turned into? They say he's out to get Harry Potter - he wants to kill his own godson - what kind of monster does that?"  
  
"You know if you met me at the wrong time ..." he said, trailing off as if not wanting to say something he knew she knew anyway.  
  
"That's different, and you know it." she snapped, "That's not exactly your fault. And on that subject, how DID you get the job here?"  
  
"I was the only one who applied ... and it did take a lot of persuasion from Dumbledore."  
  
"Persuading who?"  
  
"The Ministry ... the Governors ... Severus -"  
  
"Snape? Why does he hate you?" she asked - it seemed obvious to me that it was a question she had been wanting to ask for some time and had just remembered it at the right moment.  
  
"He didn't always hate me - we were friends at one point ... he just decided to hate me because I started hanging around with your father. He was one of the few people who didn't detest what I was ... only who I chose to socialise with." I could almost hear the smirk.  
  
"Nice of him. How are you dealing with it ... I mean, there's three weeks left and then what?"  
  
Three weeks until what? I was totally intrigued ... what was he that - oh crap - three weeks time was the full moon (I like my astronomy classes enough to know this) ... and that thing that he'd said about if she met him at the wrong time, right after she'd talked about Black wanting to kill his own godson ... I've already made the leap of logic that puts Lupin as Cat's godfather - she mentioned him before ... please tell me he's not a - ... I'm not going to say it until I know for sure.  
  
"Severus is helping me with that."  
  
"Oh - he must be pissed off at that, mustn't he?"  
  
"Very much so, I think." again, I could hear the smirk in his voice.  
  
"So what's happening to your classes after the full moons?" meep - that was almost confirmation, wasn't it?  
  
"The first two are on weekends, but after that, Severus will be substituting for me."  
  
"Again, he can't be too happy about that."  
  
"Actually, he's thrilled - he's always wanted to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts."  
  
"Right."  
  
"You'd better go, now, Cat - you don't want to be late for lunch, do you?"  
  
"No ... I'll see you later, then?"  
  
"Get going."  
  
And with that, Cat emerged from the room, and froze on seeing me. She started walking, and I followed. As soon as we were a few corridors away from the classroom, she asked me, "How much did you hear?"  
  
"The part about him being off sick for full moons." I replied instantly.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Is he a ...?"  
  
"Werewolf - yes." she answered, "and you won't tell anyone, or else I tell all your secrets."  
  
"You would, too." I said, smiling weakly, "Have I ever said that I'm terrified of werewolves?"  
  
"No - you never said that ... you do know he's harmless most of the time?"  
  
"It's the full moon I'm worried about." I noted.  
  
"He'll be fine." Cat said, sighing at my obvious paranoid fear - I wasn't worried about him, I was worried about me. "He's getting Snape to make a potion for him ... I think it's called Wolfsbane - it's new, but it works - tames the wolf, so he'll not be a threat." then, in her most condescending tone, she added, "You're safe, Draco - the big scary werewolves aren't going to get you."  
  
I gave her a scowl for that, "Thanks for the reassurance." I said in a cold tone.  
  
I always manage to find something against the DADA teacher ... what is it with that subject, anyway? Am I just destined to hate it? ... the answer you're looking for there is 'yes'.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 4 


	5. Did I Say Something Wrong?

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Akuma-sama: Hey, can I use that list of DADA teacher-names you did there? They funny.  
  
AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl: Thank you ... I also don't like And The Hat Said Slytherin as much ... this one is the one I'm proud of, and hardly anyone bothers with it because they all say they like ATHSS better *grumbles*. I'm glad you prefer this one, really.  
  
dstrbd child: You're welcome ... and I try to make Theo as demented as possible, so thanks for noticing.  
  
angelkas: I've said it before, and I'll say it again ... you're crazy.  
  
dragonsprincess: What's he going to hate about "Moody"? Well he'll not be too happy about being turned into a ferret, will he? And yes, I can say angst ... and I might do that, too.  
  
This chapter was fun - poor Draco, getting attacked when he didn't even realise he'd done something wrong - say it with me: awwwwwww, poor ickle Dwaco.  
  
Chapter 5 - Did I Say Something Wrong?  
  
That afternoon was Care of Magical Creatures class. Before I found out that Hagrid was teaching it, I had been looking forward to it. Now I felt a sort of cold dread in the pit of my stomach, and I just KNEW something was going to go terribly wrong. Maybe I should have taken Divination class, with Cat, instead.  
  
My apprehension only increased as Hagrid said, "Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up! Everyone here? Right, follow me!"  
  
"And his idea of a 'real treat' is?" I asked Theo, with scepticism, as we followed at what I hoped was a safe distance.  
  
"Getting your hand bitten off by a Chimera?" Theo replied. I nodded - it was possible.  
  
"Everyone gather round the fence here! That's it - make sure yeh can see. Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books -"  
  
"How?" I asked, all too aware of the smug look Blaise was giving me.  
  
"Eh?" Hagrid asked, obviously assuming we all had Blaise's natural talent to solve puzzles.  
  
I took out my book, which I had bound with charmed-to-be-unbreakable rope, to keep it from snapping my hand off, "How do we open our books?" I repeated. Some other students took out their books, as well. Blaise grinned as she took out her Spellotaped book and proceeded to play dumb.  
  
"Hasn' - hasn' anyone bin able ter open their books?" Hagrid asked, stunned and obviously disappointed. Everyone, even Blaise shook their heads, although the grin that Blaise wore made it obvious to me that she was just trying to aid in upsetting the 'teacher'. "Yeh've got ter stroke 'em." he said, taking Hermione's book, removing the Spellotape and doing just that.  
  
Blaise, behind Goyle's back so Hagrid couldn't see her, mirrored his action with her own book, at the same time as he did it. I glared at her smug grin, "Oh, how silly we've been!" I said, sarcastically, "We should have stroked them! Why didn't we guess!"  
  
I then shot another glare at Blaise, who smirked, "Cause you are silly, Draco." she whispered. I sneered at her.  
  
"I ... I thought they were funny." the giant-wannabie said, looking at Hermione in the fond hope that she'd take his side.  
  
"Oh, tremendously funny! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip our hands off!" I snapped. Blaise sniggered, grinning at me maliciously.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter growled. It was his turn to be sneered at.  
  
Hagrid seemed a little lost, but quickly tried to pick up where he had been interrupted, "Righ' then. So ... so yeh've got yer books an' ... an' ... now yeh need the Magical Creatures." he said, sounding vaguely distracted, "Yeah. So I'll go an' get 'em. Hang on ..." and he walked off across the paddock.  
  
I shook my head - with this man teaching, we'd never learn anything good. I decided to share this opinion, "Gods, this place is going to the dogs. That oaf teaching classes - my father'll have a fit when I tell him -"  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Potter repeated.  
  
I refused to do anything he told me to, so I said the first insult I could think of for him, just to avoid shutting up, "Careful, Potter, there's a Dementor behind you -"  
  
I was interrupted (quite rudely) by one of the Gryffindor girls squealing and pointing to where the pathetic excuse for a teacher had reappeared, with a group of ... they looked like Hippogriffs. Sure enough, as soon as he got to the fence, that was the first word he said, "Hippogriffs! Beautifully, aren' they?" Admittedly, they were gorgeous creatures, but I've learned that the more beautiful beasts are often the more dangerous (admittedly not always, but I think unicorns are the exception to the rule). "So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer ..."  
  
I looked around at everyone else - no one seemed keen to get any closer to these beasts ... until Potter and his gang very nervously stepped forward. "Bloody stupid Gryffindors." I muttered, then turned to Crabbe and Goyle, "What's the betting one of those things kills a Gryffindor?"  
  
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other then back to me. Crabbe spoke up, "I'd bet Potter gets hurt." Goyle nodded in agreement.  
  
"I'll take that one." I said, grinning, "Five sickles." they both nodded enthusiastically.  
  
I turned my attention back to Hagrid as he said, "Yeh walk towards him, an' yeh bow, an' yeh wait. If he bows back, yeh're allowed ter touch him. If he doesn' bow, then get away from him, sharpish, 'cause those talons hurt. Right - who wants ter go first?"  
  
Yeah, right ... I backed away two steps, as did most of the class.  
  
"No one?" Hagrid pleaded.  
  
Potter stepped forward and said, "I'll do it."  
  
Damn - I was going to lose my money.  
  
A couple of Gryffindor girls said something about tea-leaves (probably Divination-related). Potter deliberately ignored them and climbed over the fence.  
  
"Good man, Harry. Right then - let's see how yeh get on with Buckbeak." Hagrid said, untying a relatively handsome grey Hippogriff.  
  
If that git gets hurt and loses me ten sickles, I'll kill him.  
  
"Easy, now, Harry. Yeh've got eye contact, now try not to blink - Hippogriffs don' trust yeh if yeh blink too much ... tha's it, Harry ... now, bow ..." Potter bowed, but the Hippogriff didn't move. Hagrid looked uneasy, as he said, "Ah. Right - back away, now, Harry, easy does it -" then as Potter was about to escape to safety, the Hippogriff bowed to him. Hagrid seemed pleased, "Well done, Harry!" he cheered, "Right - yeh can touch him! Pat his beak, go on!"  
  
As Potter reluctantly approached the creature and patted its beak, the whole class (even Pansy) except for Crabbe, Goyle and I, applauded. If it was that easy, there was no reason to praise him - I could have done that if I'd wanted to.  
  
"Righ' then, Harry. I reckon he migh' let yeh ride him!" Hagrid said. I watched as Potter followed the oaf's instructions and ended up flying around the paddock on the Hippogriff's back. As the lucky git landed, somehow not falling off over the creature's neck, everyone else (as in everyone that wasn't me - even Crabbe and Goyle, this time) cheered loudly. He was just lucky, brave and stupid - he didn't deserve such high praise for that.  
  
After that, the rest of us were allowed to approach the Hippogriffs - Crabbe, Goyle and I claimed the grey Hippogriff that Potter had flown. It refused point-blank to bow to either of the Two Twits, but after some consideration, it bowed to me and let me approach it.  
  
I spotted Potter watching me and decided to indulge in one of my favourite pastimes - insulting him, "This is very easy. I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it." I said loudly enough for him to hear me. I then turned to the Hippogriff - Buckbeak, I think Hagrid called it, "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?"  
  
"Ten sickles on that one, Draco." I heard Theo say from where he was trying unsuccessfully to get the black Hippogriff to bow to him.  
  
I ignored Theo and continued speaking to Buckbeak, "Are you, you ugly great brute?"  
  
I saw its eyes flash angrily and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground and my arm hurt like hell - good reason for that was that it was also bleeding profusely, all over the grass and my now-torn robes. I stared at my bleeding arm for a full five seconds, in shock. I hadn't realised there was that much blood in a human body ... and it was rapidly leaving mine.  
  
"I'm dying!" I said, sincerely believing what I was saying - I thought I really would bleed to death, "I'm dying, look at me!" Can you believe I said that? Even in what I thought were my dying breaths, I was still a shameless attention seeker! "It's killed me!"  
  
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid's voice said, sounding very distant to my ears ... and I think I passed out then.  
  
* * *  
  
My arm still hurt. I forced my eyes to open, only to be assaulted by too much sunlight from a window, reflecting off too-white walls. I blinked a few times before my eyes adjusted and I could clearly recognise the Hospital Wing. The next thing I recognised was Pansy's pug-like face watching me with deep concern.  
  
Her eyes lit up as I looked at her, "Draco! You're awake!"  
  
"I noticed." I muttered, "What happened?"  
  
"I don't think the Hippogriff appreciated being called 'ugly'." she answered, sitting herself down on the edge of my bed, "Madam Pomfrey fixed you - how do you feel?"  
  
"It still hurts." I answered honestly. I tried to sit up, failing miserably when my head started spinning. "And I feel dizzy."  
  
"That's only to be expected, Mr Malfoy." Madam Pomfrey said as she bustled over to me, from her office, "You lost a lot of blood - something I couldn't help you with until you woke up. Drink this." she ordered, handing me a goblet containing a red-brown coloured potion.  
  
I wrinkled my nose at the smell of it, but drank it anyway. It tasted worse than it smelled. "What was that?" I asked.  
  
"It will help you recover from the blood-loss." she answered, as if that should have been obvious. She then took my right arm and examined it. "I'm afraid you're going to have a scar there. Magical creatures often have trace elements in their claws that inhibit total magical healing, much like a laceration curse." I winced at that and contemplated with distaste the concept of the scar I was now looking at on my arm being a permanent feature marring my otherwise perfect skin.  
  
At least it wasn't as ugly as the Dark Mark.  
  
"Now, move your hand." she ordered. I tried to do so, but all that happened was that my fingers twitched slightly. Madam Pomfrey tutted, "It cut through the nerve - that will have to take a few days to heal on its own, I'm afraid."  
  
"What about my classes?" I asked.  
  
"You've already been unconscious for almost twenty-four hours." Madam Pomfrey said sighing, "I can let you out tomorrow, but you'll have to report back here after dinner so I can check on you."  
  
"I've missed a whole day?" I asked, stunned.  
  
"That's right." she said, nodding.  
  
"So it's now ...?" I prompted.  
  
"Wednesday." Pansy offered, receiving a glare from Madam Pomfrey for interrupting.  
  
"So I missed ... History, Herbology and Muggle Studies?" I asked. Pansy nodded, wrinkling her nose at the notion of Muggle Studies. Madam Pomfrey also nodded. "And I have to stay tonight, too?"  
  
"Yes, most definitely." Madam Pomfrey said.  
  
I sighed, knowing she'd not let me go - I've heard horror stories of patients of hers having perfectly healed and being kept in through Quidditch matches, holidays and/or exams, just for observation.  
  
* * *  
  
That evening, Theo led Crabbe and Goyle up to see me, "Hey, Draco - how's the mortal injury?" Theo asked immediately.  
  
"My arm will be fine." I replied, before turning to Crabbe and Goyle and saying, "You owe me five Sickles ... each." They looked dumbly at me for ten seconds before I had to remind them, "We made a bet one of those creatures would hurt Potter - I don't see him here, so I must have won - pay up."  
  
They took out some silver coins, and Theo cleared his throat, "Um, Draco - I bet you those things were dangerous - ten Sickles."  
  
"I never accepted that bet." I said coldly, taking the money I had extorted from my bodyguards and putting it in my bag.  
  
Theo glared daggers at me. "You need anything, oh invalid one?" he asked condescendingly.  
  
"Yes ... Noctowl." I replied without a second's hesitation. I was going to send a letter to my father.  
  
"You want me to go near that bloody vicious bird of yours?" Theo asked sceptically. I nodded, remembering the last time Noctowl had met Theo - there had been blood all over the dormitory ... and it had all been Theo's.  
  
I waited patiently while the three boys left, and Theo returned alone, wearing his dragon-hide gloves and holding Noctowl by an owl-leash that was tied around both of the bird's clawed feet. He let go of the leash and Noctowl flew straight to me, settled on my left knee - I had both legs straight out in front of me - and proceeded to preen himself indignantly.  
  
I carefully removed the leash from his feet, muttering platitudes along the lines of, "What did that mean, nasty boy do to you?"  
  
Noctowl hooted and let out an angry screech at Theo, then ruffled his feathers and gave Theo the smug look that I often give when my father shows up to insult my enemies for me.  
  
"So what did you want that blasted bird for, anyway?" Theo asked, eyeing Noctowl as if he thought the bird might attack as soon as he looked away.  
  
"I'm going to send a letter to my father. Get that git fired and maybe see if I can get the Hippogriff in trouble with the dangerous creatures regulation board." I replied. I reached for a piece of parchment, some ink and a quill.  
  
"You want me to help you with that?" Theo asked.  
  
I looked up at him, "No - I can handle it." I replied, before taking the quill in my left hand and starting to write a fairly untidy but still legible letter:  
  
'Father,  
  
I am writing to you from the Hospital Wing  
  
at school. I was mauled by a Hippogriff, in  
  
my first Care of Magical Creatures class.  
  
My right arm is temporarily unusable and  
  
will have a permanent scar.  
  
The new teacher is incompetent and that  
  
creature is dangerous.  
  
I hope to hear from you soon.  
  
Draco.'  
  
Theo watched with fascination as I wrote this and handed it to Noctowl, who took it and flew out the window, deliberately trying to hit Theo in the face with his wing as he passed. "You're left-handed?" he asked.  
  
"Nope." I replied, "I can write with my left hand, but I'm not left-handed. I'm ambidextrous - I can use both hands equally ... I haven't done anything left-handed in years, because being left-handed is supposed to be a sign of evil."  
  
"Your dad's left-handed, isn't he?" Theo noted. I nodded - it was true and there was no reason to deny it. "So can you use your wand with your left hand?"  
  
"I don't know. Never tried." I replied, "We'll see, won't we?"  
  
* * *  
  
Late that night, I received a return letter telling me that my father would be dealing with the situation, and several details about exactly who he would threaten to accomplish vengeance on the gamekeeper and his Hippogriff.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 5 


	6. Extra Credit

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
dragonsprincess: Well, to anyone but Draco (who feeds him) and Lucius (who scares him) Noctowl is a "bloody vicious bird" ... it's not just Theo. And I'm just about to start on GoF.  
  
dstrbd child: You know, I'm not kidding/lying here, I am also ambidextrous. Admittedly, my left-handed writing is a lot less tidy, but that's just due to lack of practice. And I'm sorry the chapters aren't as long as you'd like, but that's just how they are.  
  
Akuma-sama: Yay! Thank you *adds that to the list of "quotes to use", under Theo's name, for OotP*. See how meticulous my notes are? hehe.  
  
Ever thought about how Draco managed his classes without his right arm? Well, here's your answer - as I said last chapter, he's ambidextrous. Oh, and someone asked for more Peeves, so here he is in this chapter.  
  
Chapter 6 - Extra Credit  
  
I was rudely awoken the next day, by sunlight streaming in through the suddenly opened curtains. I pulled the sheets up over my face, but then Madam Pomfrey's annoyingly shrill voice started calling, "Wake up, Mr Malfoy - rise and shine!"  
  
I groaned, "Go 'way."  
  
"You're going to miss Potions class if you don't get up right now." she warned.  
  
That woke me up. "Did you have to open those curtains?" I protested, while wandering behind the screens and starting to get changed.  
  
"Yes." she replied tetchily.  
  
When I returned to the bed, it had been re-made and there was a tray of breakfast on it. Madam Pomfrey was writing something on a notepad and as soon as I had finished my breakfast, she ran a series of medi-check charms on me, most of which I didn't see the point in. Finally, she wrapped my arm up in bandages, and put it in a sling - I am not usually a hypochondriac, but this could be very useful. "Can I go now?" I asked irritably.  
  
She gave me a glare, before sighing and nodding, "Yes, you can go. Just remember I want to check up on you after dinner today."  
  
"You already told me that." I said, before grabbing my bag and making a hasty exit.  
  
I arrived late for Potions, but Snape turned a blind eye.  
  
Pansy fawned over me, in the annoying way that only she can manage, while Snape calmed the class, "Settle down, settle down." I smirked, secure in the knowledge that he'd never have done that if a Gryffindor had arrived late.  
  
I quickly got out my cauldron and started setting up my ingredients at the same desk as Potter. The arrogant Gryffindor git had been getting away too easily without my presence for the last two days, so I planned to torture him. And Weasley, as well. I grinned viciously at the two, who were too busy already cutting up their potion ingredients to notice me until I decided for the indirectly annoying approach - turning to face the teacher, I asked, "Sir, I'll need help cutting up these daisy roots, because of my arm -"  
  
Without even looking up, Snape interrupted me, saying, "Weasley, cut up Malfoy's roots for him."  
  
"There's nothing wrong with your arm." Weasley growled at me.  
  
I smirked, "Weasley, you heard Professor Snape, cut up these roots."  
  
Muttering what I'm sure were obscenities, but I couldn't make it out, Weasley took the roots and started hacking at them with a knife.  
  
"Professor." I called, glancing up to see that Snape was looking at me, before saying, "Weasley's mutilating my roots, sir."  
  
Snape stalked over to our table and glared over Weasley's shoulder, before saying, "Change roots with Malfoy, Weasley." Weasley tried to protest, but Snape easily scared him into complying.  
  
"And, sir, I'll need this Shrivelfig skinned." I added, trying not to laugh.  
  
"Potter, you can skin Malfoy's Shrivelfig." Snape said idly, before continuing on his way around the classroom.  
  
Potter was less than pleased. He was livid. Now to make it worse. "Seen your pal Hagrid lately?" I asked.  
  
"None of your business." Weasley snapped, trying to concentrate on the roots he now had to salvage.  
  
"I'm afraid he won't be a teacher much longer. Father's not very happy about my injury -"  
  
"Keep talking, Malfoy, and I'll give you a real injury." Weasley interrupted.  
  
I chose to ignore him - he's not worth paying attention to, so I continued, "- he's complained to the school governors. And to the Ministry of Magic. Father's got a lot of influence, you know. And a lasting injury like this, who knows if my arm'll ever be the same again?"  
  
"So that's why you're putting it on. To try and get Hagrid sacked." Potter said angrily.  
  
"Well ... partly, Potter. But there are other benefits, too." I paused long enough to glance at the ingredients on the table and choose the least desirable job to give Weasley, before adding, "Weasley, slice my caterpillars for me."  
  
As I added the caterpillars that Weasley had reluctantly cut up for me, my potion turned a bright shade of green. I was just starting to grin triumphantly, when I heard Snape's voice, not far away, all-but-yelling, "Orange, Longbottom!" I immediately looked up to see what was going on, in time to see Snape show everyone just how neon-orange Longbottom's feeble attempt at a potion was. "Orange! Tell me, boy, does anything penetrate that thick skull of yours?" I started smirking - the poor boy was beginning to shake with fear, "Didn't you hear me say, quite clearly, that only one rat spleen was needed?" Longbottom's bottom lip was trembling like he was about to start crying, "Didn't I say plainly that a dash of leech juice would suffice?" now his eyes were watering, and the pathetic look almost made me feel sorry for him - the important word in that sentence is almost. "What do I have to do to make you understand, Longbottom?" as Snape finished his tirade, it looked like one good insult would finish Longbottom off and he'd run screaming for the hills. It was all I could do not to give that last insult, mostly because Snape mightn't like it if I stole his glory.  
  
Of course, Hermione just had to show off, "Please sir, please, I could help Neville put it right -" she started.  
  
Snape was having none of it, as he interrupted her, "I don't remember asking you to show off, Miss Granger. Longbottom, at the end of this lesson we will feed a few drops of this potion to your toad and see what happens. Perhaps that will encourage you to do it properly."  
  
I turned away from the spectacle, to continue work on my own potion - it was almost ready now. As I stirred in the last of the finely cut daisy roots, I heard one of the Gryffindors - the Irish boy - talking to Potter, "Have you heard? Daily Prophet this morning - they reckon Sirius Black's been sighted." I looked up, paying close attention to this - I wanted to know what Potter knew about Black.  
  
"Where?" Potter and Weasley both asked.  
  
The Gryffindor boy, whose name I don't remember, leaned forward conspiratorially, and I had to strain my ears to hear him, "Not too far from here. It was a Muggle who saw him. 'Course, she didn't really understand. The Muggles think he's just an ordinary criminal, don't they? So she 'phoned the telephone hotline. By the time the Ministry of Magic got there, he was gone."  
  
Weasley gave Potter a strange look, "Not far from here ..." he said darkly. Then he saw that I was watching, "What, Malfoy? Need something else skinning?"  
  
Yes, your nose, Weasley, but I just couldn't be bothered with my arm in this state. "Thinking of trying to catch Black single-handed, Potter?" I asked, honestly trying to find out exactly how suicidal the idiot was.  
  
"Yeah, that's right." he said, and I actually couldn't tell if he was kidding or not.  
  
Now I just wanted to be annoying, and since I'm so good at it ... "Of course, if it was me, I'd have done something before now. I wouldn't be staying in school like a good boy, I'd be out there looking for him." If I was a Gryffindor, that is.  
  
"What are you talking about, Malfoy?" Weasley asked irritably.  
  
"Don't you know, Potter?" I asked, deliberately pretending Weasley wasn't there, even though it was his question that I was answering.  
  
"Know what?" Potter asked - I now had his complete attention, albeit he was probably trying to think of what object was best to hit me with now.  
  
I laughed - I hadn't really thought he'd be kept in the dark about it - the Ministry must think precious Potter is too delicate to tell all the dark secrets to. "Maybe you'd rather not risk your neck. Want to leave it to the Dementors, do you? But if it was me, I'd want revenge. I'd hunt him down myself." from a safe distance, by means of an Imperius curse on some expendable idiot - probably Goyle - but I would want revenge if anyone had done something like that to my family.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Potter snarled, but even if I had been planning on answering him, I didn't get the chance, because Snape decided to start talking. He did test the potion on the toad, but it lived ... Granger lost house points for Gryffindor, even though Snape had no real proof that she'd helped Longbottom.  
  
* * *  
  
As I walked - no, dawdled - up to Transfiguration class, after lunch ... I had a medical excuse for being late, and I planned to make full use of it ... I was apprehended by a cursing and swearing Peeves, "What's little Malfoy doing out here, eh? Lost your way?" he cackled, obviously looking for someone to annoy.  
  
"I know exactly where I'm going, thanks." I said, in the sarcastic tone that says 'I don't want to talk to you, you twit'.  
  
Peeves spun upside-down and floated in my way, face-to-face with me, "Aww, you're not being very nice - I wanna play."  
  
"Play with the Weasleys." I snapped, sidestepping him.  
  
"No." Peeves said impudently, grabbing my bag and trying to lift me into the air by it. I reluctantly let him lift the bag, without me.  
  
"Who pissed you off?" I asked.  
  
Peeves pulled a face, "Loony Lupin."  
  
"I know the feeling, now give me my bag back - it's got my botched Defence homework in it and I want to be able to annoy Lupin ... I'm sure you remember what I tried to do to Lockhart?" I said, lying through my teeth about the homework, which I hadn't been given in the first place.  
  
Peeves suddenly grinned and tossed the bag at me. I caught it with some difficulty, considering I only had one working arm, "Have fun. Let me watch." Peeves cackled, before zooming off down the corridor, bouncing off walls as he went. That poltergeist was more trouble than he's worth, sometimes.  
  
* * *  
  
Transfiguration class. I arrived two minutes late, and lost ten points for it. McGonagall was glaring at my arm as I got out my book, parchment and quill. "Today, we will be taking notes on the legalities of the Animagus transformation." she said sternly, "Although you cannot attempt such advanced Transfiguration until your seventh year, the third year syllabus requires that you know some of the theory." she then began to dictate notes, which I wrote down fairly easily, left-handed.  
  
She kept giving me odd looks, through the whole lesson.  
  
At the end, she set us homework to research the laws surrounding the Animagus transformation, and a two-foot essay. I was just about to leave, when she called to me, "Mr Malfoy - may I speak to you for a moment?"  
  
I turned around quickly, "I'm sorry I was late for class today, Professor ... Peeves -"  
  
"I am not concerned with your tardiness, Mr Malfoy. You have already been disciplined for that. I am more concerned with you abnormal interest in today's lesson - you usually daydream in my class." she said.  
  
"I always pay attention, Professor ... I just looked like it, for once." I said ... it was a bit impudent, yes, but it was the truth.  
  
She glared at me for a moment, "And why did you decide to appear to show an interest?"  
  
"I want to learn the Animagus transformation, eventually." I admitted, "I think it's cool." I kind of hoped she'd take that as a compliment that I thought she had a cool ability.  
  
"I am surprised, Mr Malfoy. I hadn't thought you would be the type to want their Animagus."  
  
"What do you mean?" I asked.  
  
"What I mean, Mr Malfoy, is that you cannot choose what animal you become. You must accept an animal that suits your inner nature."  
  
"So your tabby cat means what?" I asked, grinning.  
  
She glared at me, before actually smiling, "If you wish to take such an interest, I would be willing to give you some extra tutoring in that direction. You would still have to wait until your seventh year to begin the actual transformation, but I could help you learn more about it." Wow ... I had just made my teacher-nemesis take an interest in teaching me without shouting ... that was a neat trick.  
  
"I'd like that." I said, smiling.  
  
"I will give you the names of a few books to read, and a note to get one of them from the restricted section, on the condition that you are the only one to read them." she said, eyeing me like a hawk. I nodded to show I accepted this condition. "Two of these describe the different spells involved in the Animagus transformation, and the third is a book on what different animals mean to the wizard's personality." she said, writing down and then handing me a list of titles, "And I warn you." she added, handing me a permission slip to get one of them from the restricted section, "That the charms in that book -" she tapped the permission slip I now held, indicating she meant the book from the restricted section, "- are all beyond any fifth year, let alone a third year, and you would only hurt yourself to try them."  
  
I nodded, "Thank you, Professor." I said, wondering how rare it must be for someone to take such a specific interest as this, if she's keen to let me do this extra reading ... or maybe she's trying to salvage what in her eyes had previously been a hopeless case. Snape would never try something like this for anyone barely passing in his class.  
  
* * *  
  
When I returned to the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey wasn't there. I carefully tried to move my hand - it worked fine and it had stopped hurting. Damn. Now I wasn't going to get the sympathy factor, and Father would be mad as hell if he found out I'd made such a fuss over something that had healed this easily. Besides, I wanted to get that stupid oaf fired for setting a monster on a student.  
  
So, when Madam Pomfrey returned and asked me to move my arm, I deliberately only twitched my fingers, like I had done before when it really wouldn't move properly. She tutted, obviously annoyed, "It should be fine now. I don't see anything else I can do besides wait for it to heal itself. Is there any pain?"  
  
"Yes." I lied.  
  
"Well, I'd like you to return to see me, at this time every day, until it is properly healed. I can give you some painkiller potions to take." she bustled over to a cupboard, which she unlocked and removed a small bottle from. She re-locked the cupboard and returned to me, handing me the bottle, "You can take one teaspoon of this no more often than twice a day. If you take any more, it will cause pain rather than ease it." I nodded putting the bottle away in my pocket. People seem to be trusting me with dangerous things a lot, today - what did I do to appear trustworthy? I want to know, so I can get more for it.  
  
And I should remember to slip three teaspoons of this potion to Higgs, sometime, just for the vengeance factor.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 6 


	7. Quidditch Politics

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
dstrbd child: hmmm ... torturing teachers would be fun ... so would more revenge ... but I don't think there'll be any for a while. Sorry. Maybe in GoF.  
  
AlL rOaDs LeAd To HeLl: Not all the Death Eaters know who told Voldemort the secret ... why would they? What if one of them was a spy, and told the good-guys who was spying on them? Like Severus, for example. All the surviving ex-Death Eaters think that Black is guilty, why do you think reports of Black's whereabouts take so long to get processed?  
  
slytherin-punk-rocker311: I may come up with more info about the Malfoys, and Severus ... but not in PoA ... possibly GoF, probably OotP.  
  
dragonsprincess: He was just having a good day. I haven't started GoF yet ... I'm about to start it soon.  
  
Bob: Oh, you were affected by the blackout? And I am not going to write an OotP-friendly version of ATHSS ... in fact, I'm concidering deleting it altogether.  
  
I had to think about where Draco got this brilliant scheme from, so I decided he'd just think of it on the spot to get Flint to leave him alone - not that the leave-him-alone part of the plan works.  
  
Chapter 7 - Quidditch Politics  
  
That evening, before the Library closed, I made my way up to get these three books. Madam Pince seemed very intent on proving McGonagall's signature to be a forgery, but when she failed she grudgingly gave me the appropriate book, along with telling me where to find the other two on the list.  
  
When looking for the last of the three, I found Hermione looking up another Animagus-related text. On looking over her shoulder I discovered it was the Animagus register.  
  
"What are you looking up that for?" I asked.  
  
"Extra credit." she replied turning to face me, "I'm doing my essay on Animagi from Tuesday ... I should have started it Yesterday, but I've been getting really behind, already."  
  
"You look exhausted." I noted.  
  
"I am." she replied.  
  
"How many subjects are you taking this year?" I asked.  
  
"A lot."  
  
"How many?"  
  
"All of them."  
  
"How are you managing that? Night classes?" I asked.  
  
"Not exactly."  
  
"You are being evasive, aren't you?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I won't pry ... I'll just find out the traditional Slytherin way."  
  
"You're planning to spy on me?"  
  
"No - beat the information out of Weasley." I answered grinning.  
  
"He doesn't know."  
  
"Who does?"  
  
"McGonagall and me."  
  
"That's it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Damn ... can't very well beat any information out of her." I joked.  
  
Hermione smirked, "I cannot believe you just said that."  
  
"Especially when she's starting to see hope for my education."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"She's letting me do some extra-credit work on that subject too." I said, holding up the two books I had obtained, "Now do you know where I can find 'Animal Spirit Meanings' by Kestra Aviona?"  
  
"Over there - I was looking at it earlier." she answered pointing to a book that was sitting out on a desk. Pince would not have been happy if she'd found that sitting there.  
  
"Thanks." I replied, collecting the book.  
  
"So why are you reading up on Animagi, Malfoy?" Hermione asked folding her arms across her chest in a questioning manner that was reminiscent of an angry teacher.  
  
"I'm interested in becoming one." I said honestly.  
  
"Oh - what do you think you'd be?" she asked, now totally interested.  
  
"I don't know. I never thought about it ... maybe some sort of feral cat or dog ... definitely not a tame animal, that's for sure."  
  
"Definitely not." Hermione replied, watching me carefully, "I think some sort of rodent ... a stoat or a weasel."  
  
"I resent being compared to those red-heads!" I snapped.  
  
"Whatever." she replied grinning - she enjoyed baiting me - this was getting even more fun.  
  
I walked back over to her and asked, "So what is your project?"  
  
"I'm researching Animagi through history - the Animagus Register says there's only been seven this century." she explained, showing me the record she had been reading.  
  
"I'd at least triple that figure if I were you." I said with a smirk.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"How many of those are Slytherins?" I asked, pointing to the list.  
  
"None."  
  
"My point exactly."  
  
"Oh." she stared at the page for a minute before adding, "Would you be registered if you learned it?"  
  
"No way, no how." I said, "What's the point of being able to disguise yourself as an animal, if everyone knows what your animal form looks like?"  
  
She considered this for a minute, "I see your point ... but it's illegal -"  
  
"Hence the title: 'Illegal Animagus' ... there must be loads of them around."  
  
"Do you follow any rules?" she asked suddenly.  
  
"The ones I make myself ... as far as the rest go - 'for every rule there is a loophole'." I replied grinning.  
  
"I think you deliberately try to confuse me." she said. I nodded. "Why?"  
  
"Because your mind only works on one level - it's too easy for me to confuse you - you're very intelligent, but you can't see past Gryffindor morality."  
  
"I wish I could understand you, Malfoy." she said, sighing. She then shook her head and turned back to her reading - it seemed obvious that the conversation was over. I left her alone.  
  
* * *  
  
That Saturday, Flint woke me up by blowing up my pillow. In the midst of all the feathers, I sat up glaring at the offending sadist.  
  
"Quidditch practice, Malfoy."  
  
"Can't." I said holding up my arm, which was still in a sling.  
  
"You will attend Quidditch practice and you will fly, and you will catch the Snitch, or you will be kicked painfully off the team. Do I make myself clear?" Flint all-but-yelled.  
  
"Crystal." I replied acidly, "Now let me make myself clear: I have a medical excuse. We can use this to our advantage. Are you telling me you really want to play in November conditions, against our main rivals? If we can switch with Hufflepuff, our first game would be the Ravens' match in January, instead of the Lions' match in November, and we can play the Lions in May."  
  
"You've thought this one through, haven't you?" Flint asked.  
  
"No. It came to me in my dreams." I said snidely.  
  
"Yeah, well, whatever - it's a good plan ... and let's not mention it till the day before the match." Flint added with a grin.  
  
"That's a good idea." I said, smirking.  
  
"But you're still coming to practice, and you're still going to fly. Learn to fly single handed if you must, but get up now." and with that, he dragged me out of bed by the collar of my shirt, and shoved me in the general direction of my bedside cabinet, where I kept my clothes.  
  
He then left, and I got changed, noticing that Theo had pretended to sleep through the debate - he's too light a sleeper to have really slept through it, so he must have heard every word.  
  
* * *  
  
And sure enough, when I got to the Quidditch practice, I was forced to fly single-handed ... I couldn't very well let them know my arm was fine, now could I. Of course, I was in no fit state to catch any Snitches, so Flint reluctantly didn't make me fall off my broom trying. The only way I could ever catch anything flying with my arm bound up like this would be to do an impersonation of Potter in his first match ... I wasn't going to degrade myself to that level. I still wasn't immune to the Bludgers, though ... luckily I was able to dodge all of Bole and Derrick's assassination attempts on me ... that was a joke, about the assassination bit, by the way - again making reference to my first year.  
  
"Well done, Draco." a voice said behind me as I landed - a very familiar voice that I had not expected to find here again. I turned to see my father watching me.  
  
"Thank you." I said, smiling.  
  
"I hadn't expected you to be out here. I came to see exactly how much damage your injury had caused, and I was told you were at Quidditch practice." he replied.  
  
Flint was just landing a short distance away, at the moment I told my father, "Flint said he'd kick me off the team if I didn't attend practice. I had to fly single-handed, and Flint kept trying to get me to do all sorts of complicated manoeuvres that I'd only ever done with both hands, before."  
  
Father wasn't pleased with this - he turned on Flint and yelled in a way that must have made Flint wish the ground would open up and swallow him. Flint looked very apologetic, but wasn't allowed time to voice these apologies because he couldn't get a word in edgeways. Eventually, Father told him to 'get out of my sight before I hex you, you rotten little sod!'.  
  
I was just containing my laughter as Father turned back to me and escorted me up to the school and the Hospital Wing. "Thank you." I said, smiling.  
  
"Don't mention it. If that git ever bothers you, unjustly, I'd be glad to give him another yelling-at." Father replied. Apparently yelling at people is his idea of a good time, because he was in an exceptionally good mood all afternoon, as he watched Madam Pomfrey check me. I continued to fake pain and immobility in my arm, and she continued to believe I was telling the truth. Father, however, was more observant and attuned to lies, "You're faking it." he said, simply, as soon as Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot.  
  
"It was bad for three days, then it got better. I figured I could get away with messing up the Gryffindors' Quidditch schedule from this." I replied honestly.  
  
"How so?" he asked, seeming more intrigued by my plan than angry at me.  
  
I re-told my plan to him, and he listened intently, "So that way we play a weaker team in the bad conditions, and have more time to prepare for the stronger opponents ... and we'll catch the Gryffindors off-guard with the schedule-change, so they don't have time to prepare for the Hufflepuff match - if they lose to Hufflepuff, we're almost certain to win." I finished.  
  
"Interesting tactic. The surprising thing seems to be that Flint is trying something you suggested." Father said with a smirk that meant I was plotting something very bad, very well, and he liked it.  
  
I enjoyed spending the next half hour discussing the Hippogriff problem with my father, who was planning on working to have Hagrid fired and the creature executed - he knows this man in the disposal of dangerous creatures department who can help arrange this. I then told him what I'd heard about Black, and he told me everything he knew about the man, including the fact that he had never once seen him at any Death Eater meetings ... not once, and I know Father was a high-ranking member in that organisation - he didn't know all the others, but he did know that Black had never been seen by anyone he did know there. That was odd. Of course, it didn't stop him from being lazy when it came to filing reports of where Muggles have sighted the escapee - Father assumes that some of the spies were kept secret, even from important members like himself - he had, at the time, had no idea where the Dark Lord had obtained the Secret of the Potters' location from.  
  
He also told me that Black had been good friends with Potter Sr., and that the two of them were the worst trouble-makers of their time ... I wonder how they compare to the Weasley twins ... or Theo's spree of anti-Defence-Against-the-Dark-Arts-teacher pranks ... which reminds me - Theo hasn't started on Lupin, yet, and I don't intend to.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 7 


	8. Wolf Moon

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Akuma-sama: *singing Weasley is our king* god, I can't wait to write my version of OotP *sigh* ah well ... I'm looking forward to your next chapter, as well.  
  
dragonsprincess: Oh, yes, very jealous indeed.  
  
Bob: I really don't know why anyone likes ATHSS ... I don't understand at all.  
  
Logan: *dramatic sigh* ok, I'll not delete it ... but I really don't get why so many people like it so much.  
  
Sorry - I couldn't wait until book four to mention it ... I had to do it now. I loved that scene in book four, and wanted to make a whole huge plot-bunny out of it.  
  
Chapter 8 - Wolf Moon  
  
In the first free time I got, I took out the books on Animagi ... I wanted to know what animal I would be. The one from the Restricted Section all went right over my head (figuratively speaking), but the other book - Animagus Made Easy - contained information on what was involved, on a much simpler level of explanation. I understood most of it ... I really wouldn't be able to try it for years, yet. Still, I was patient ... I would wait.  
  
I did see one charm in the Animagus Made Easy book, which I thought looked simple enough to try ... just the one, but it said that it was a second-year level spell, anyway.  
  
I pointed my wand at myself, and whispered the words of the spell. I wasn't sure how long I was out for, but I know I went into a trance, and saw an animal. My spirit animal.  
  
I now knew what my Animagus form would be. A snow-white ferret. Not a bad animal, in my opinion.  
  
"Hermione was right." I muttered.  
  
"About what?" Theo asked. I looked up to see him skimming through the book from the Restricted Section.  
  
"How long have you been here?" I asked.  
  
"Ten minutes. You were meditating, or something. This is a cool book ... looks like seventh year stuff, though - who did you bribe to get your paws on it?" Theo said, still reading.  
  
"McGonagall. I told her I wanted to be an Animagus, and I promised I wouldn't let anyone else read that." I said, snatching the book out from under his nose.  
  
Theo pouted, "I was just getting to the good bit." he whined. I just glared, "So what were you doing, anyway? And I know Hermione is often right, but what about, this time?"  
  
"She was right about what animal would suit me best ... and that's what I was doing - finding out what my Animagus would be. I'm a ferret."  
  
Theo snorted, "A ferret?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"So what am I?" Theo asked. I pointed my wand at him and recited the spell. His eyes rolled back into his head and his face took on a gormless expression to rival Crabbe and Goyle. I waited patiently for five minutes, before he returned to the land of the living. He looked at me for a second, blinked, then said, "A bird ... a black one, with white wings."  
  
"A magpie, you twit." I noted, identifying the bird from his obvious description.  
  
"Yeah, that's it."  
  
I picked up the other book - Animal Spirit Meanings - and began flicking through it, "Says here that your animal is based on your personality ... let's see ... ferrets ... 'see rodents' ... rodents ... 'The rodent classification are generally scavengers, able to get by and survive in almost any situation - mice are tamer than the others, with a tendency to be more friendly towards other classifications - gerbils are innately curious and are more likely to explore a dangerous situation than any other rodent - rats are the most fickle of the rodents, and the phrase 'rats always leave the sinking ship' most definitely applies - stoats, weasels and ferrets are more predatory, dangerous and vicious than the other rodents, and caution is advised when dealing with anyone of this animal type.' Very nice description ... I'm dangerous."  
  
"Yuhuh." Theo said, not seeming impressed, "What about magpies?"  
  
Again, I flicked through the book, "Magpies ... 'see carrion birds' ... it looks like they're pretty much the same as rodents, except with wings ... 'Magpies are naturally curious creatures, in both senses of the word, they are attracted to shiny objects, and have an abnormal fascination with the morbid' ... that definitely sounds like you, Theo."  
  
"Gimme that." he said, snatching the book and flicking through it, "Felines ... 'the domestic cat is perhaps the most sociable of the felines, having a predisposition towards cleanliness, organisation and discipline, the domestic cat will have an innate dislike of anyone in the rodent or canine classification.' That's McGonagall to a tee - she really doesn't like you, and you're a rodent."  
  
"What's it say about canines?" I asked, now reading over his shoulder.  
  
"Depends which sort - 'all canines are pack animals, loyal and protective of anyone within their pack - wolves are rare in Animagi, but they do have a more vicious predatory nature - more domestic breeds are playful, mischievous, scruffy, untidy, and tenacious. Canines are always dependable and trustworthy.' No wonder felines don't like 'em - they're opposites, almost."  
  
"What else is in there?" I asked.  
  
"Cows - boring ... sheep - too woolly ... foxes - foxy ... insects - ewwww, who'd want to be an insect? think what'd happen if you got caught in a spider-web -" he shuddered, "- Weasley'd do well with that ... deer - too Gryffindor ... warthogs! too farty, literally ... mircats - too catty ... badgers - Hufflepuff -" I coughed at that, to remind him that he had spent a good five minutes as a badger, the previous year - he ignored me and continued reading, "... snakes - says only Parselmouths have a chance of turning into a snake, and even then it's not a guarantee ... bunnies - ugh ... this is getting bizarre."  
  
"You said it. I like the ferret best, out of that lot."  
  
"I like the magpie."  
  
"That's probably because it's your animal."  
  
"I won't bother repeating that for you."  
  
* * *  
  
I have been careful to insult Lupin at every opportunity ... always behind his back, though - I'm not brave/stupid enough to insult a type of creature I fear second-only-to-one, to his face. Although he is a prime target for insulting - he dresses in clothes a Weasley would be embarrassed about ... hell, Dobby wouldn't be seen dead in clothes that shabby, now he's allowed clothes.  
  
Theo has been a little less subtle in his attacks on Lupin - he has resumed his pranks in Defence Against the Dark Arts class, with the sadomasochistic glee of someone who has to love detentions. He's getting an average of two detentions a week ... and we have Defence class twice a week ... go figure.  
  
The werewolf had one thing going for him - he knew the subject he was teaching ... then again, being a dark creature, he should, shouldn't he?  
  
* * *  
  
Near the end of September, I had a dream.  
  
I was in the Forbidden Forest, wandering through the trees, not knowing which way to go. It was dark and it was creepy. I looked up, hoping to see the stars - the stars had comforted me last time I was here, but tonight it was overcast and no celestial bodies shone through.  
  
I kept walking, hoping to find a way out. I came to a clearing instead.  
  
There were three people there already. Cat stood in the middle of the clearing ... Sirius Black was at the edge, in the shadows, to my right ... Professor Lupin was also at the edge of the clearing, to my left ... the three of us made a sort of triangle around Cat, and she was looking round at all three of us.  
  
"Cat - get away from them ... they're dangerous." I said, but she just gave me a curious look.  
  
"Not to me, Draco. Run while you can." she said simply, before walking to Black.  
  
"Cat - don't."  
  
"I said run, Draco." she said calmly.  
  
Black stepped between Cat and Lupin, and at that moment, the clearing was lit up - the sky had cleared, and the full moon was shining.  
  
"Too late, now." Cat said sadly.  
  
I watched, horrified yet fascinated - I couldn't look away - as Lupin started to change ... to be honest, it looked extremely painful ... if I hadn't been terrified of him, I might have pitied him for that. But I didn't have time to pity him, because the wolf leaped at me, completely ignoring Cat and Black, and pinning me to the ground.  
  
"Help me, Cat!" I yelled, trying to push the wolf off me with no success. I'm sure I heard a dog's bark from across the clearing.  
  
"I told you to run, Draco." Cat's voice said, "Keep your distance from trouble, or it really will bite you in the ..."  
  
And before she finished, the wolf sank its teeth into my neck.  
  
I woke up with a start, my good hand instinctively moving to my neck, where the wolf in the dream had bitten me ... nothing, not even a scratch. I had half-expected it to have been bleeding, or something, but there was nothing. Just a dream. That was all it was. Just a dream.  
  
I kept repeating this thought - it wasn't very comforting - as I looked around the room. Shadows tried to pretend to be monsters, but I was used to the lighting effects of the Slytherin dormitory by now, and only focused on things that moved ... that left Crabbe, Goyle and Theo to pretend to be monsters. Theo gave me a hell of a fright when he sat up suddenly.  
  
I jumped, "Don't do that!" I snapped.  
  
"Do what?" Theo asked confused.  
  
"Make sudden movements when I look like I'm freaking out." I replied.  
  
"I just woke up." he protested, "So what's freaked ya, then?"  
  
"It's a full moon ... I have the paranoid fear that a werewolf might jump me." I muttered.  
  
Theo shrugged, "Not that likely. I mean, how would one get into the castle?"  
  
"Don't ask."  
  
"How would it get into the Slytherin house area?" I thought about that one - teachers have the passwords to all the house areas.  
  
"Don't ask." I repeated.  
  
"Why are you suddenly scared this full moon, but you weren't last year?"  
  
"Don't ask."  
  
"Right ... that means you have logical answers to all three." Theo said, far too thoughtfully for my liking, "So ... Lupin?"  
  
"Huh?" I asked, "How the hell do you figure that?"  
  
"Because he's the only factor that fits and explains all three ... you'd have been picking on them if it'd been a Slyth firstie, and the other three houses can't get in here ... has to be a teacher, and it wasn't last year ... therefore, Lupin."  
  
"I have underestimated your ability for logical thinking, Theo ... just goes to show the genius of nut-cases." I said, trying to dispel my fear by adding humour to the situation.  
  
"Thank you." Theo said, nodding in a way that was meant to pass for a bow. After a few seconds pause, "So what makes you think Lupin's a wolf, then?"  
  
"Cat said he is ... he's her godfather ... apparently Snape is making a potion for Lupin, to tame him ... doesn't stop me from being terrified." I said.  
  
"I have an idea." Theo said, getting up and throwing a school robe on over his pyjamas, "Come on." he said, gesturing towards the door.  
  
Cautiously, I got out of bed and put on a robe, as well. I followed Theo, who led me out into the common room, then out to the dungeon corridor. "We're not allowed out here ... curfew." I noted.  
  
"So?" Theo asked, leading me straight across the corridor to a tapestry that concealed a secret passage. I hadn't known about this one before. It led through the dungeons, and came out opposite Snape's office.  
  
"What are we doing here?" I asked.  
  
"Get you something for nightmares. Blaise got some earlier this year ... Snape's made up a vast stock of the stuff ... Dementors are a bitch ... even freak me, occasionally ... apparently they've been affecting the Snakes and Huffles worst - Lions and Ravens both have towers and are too far from the ground to be as bothered."  
  
"So you think Snape will appreciate it if we turn up at his office at one in the morning?" I asked sceptically.  
  
"He's always awake at this time ... it's four in the morning he'll get pissy if you disturb him." Theo said, grinning.  
  
"You know this, how?"  
  
"I've been told by older students." Theo said.  
  
"Uh huh." I mumbled. I watched as Theo stepped out from behind the tapestry and knocked the door of Snape's office.  
  
"Enter." Snape snapped.  
  
Theo peered round the door, nervously, and then beckoned for me to follow as he entered the office. I bolted across the corridor, almost afraid the wolf might be roaming the school ... if not, then Filch.  
  
As I closed the door behind me, Snape was watching us, "What do you two want?" he asked sounding irritable. He had been marking essays, by the look of it.  
  
"Draco had a nightmare." Theo said simply.  
  
Snape looked at me, with an evaluating stare, "What might this nightmare have been about?" he asked.  
  
I wasn't too happy about being asked that, but figured that since Snape already knew, why not tell him, "It might have been about werewolves ... it is the full moon tonight." I said.  
  
"Oh, really. I was unaware that you were afraid of werewolves." Snape said, raising one eyebrow in a sceptical way.  
  
"Well, there is the small detail of there being one running around the school, this year." I muttered.  
  
"What do you know?" Snape asked immediately.  
  
"Lupin ... Cat told me. Well, actually, I kind of overheard her talking to him about it, but she then admitted it to me." under the glare I received for that, I continued quickly, "I haven't told anyone. Except Theo, but he worked it out on his own."  
  
"Good. Don't." Snape said simply, "Professor Dumbledore is under the impression that the wolf is trustworthy. I'm not too sure about him, but he isn't dangerous at the moment." my jaw dropped as he said this, but he continued, "The potion I make for him is effective, as long as he remembers to take it."  
  
I nodded dumbly.  
  
"In fact." Snape said in a thoughtful tone, "Nott ... go back to bed, now." he said, waving dismissively to Theo. Theo glanced at me, but then nodded and left the office. "Come with me - I have something to show you."  
  
Snape led me out of the office and along the corridor ... it led up to the third floor ... we passed Filch as we went, but because I was accompanied by a teacher, he ignored me. Snape rapped on the door of the Defence office and said, "It's me."  
  
A bark could be heard from inside the office.  
  
Snape shuddered instinctively, and he opened the door. I stayed well back as Snape entered.  
  
The wolf was sitting on a rug next to the fire, looking up with it head tilted to one side quizzically. It looked almost cute, really.  
  
"I just came to check that you haven't been running around the school." Snape noted.  
  
The wolf didn't see me standing there. It did growl quietly, but then just lay down submissively, looking up at Snape.  
  
Snape sneered at it, before leaving the room, "You see?" he asked me, after closing the door. "Harmless, as long as he takes the potion when he's in human form."  
  
I nodded again, "What if he forgets?"  
  
"He gets fired." Snape replied simply.  
  
"As long as that's not to late." I muttered.  
  
"That is the exact concern I voiced to the Headmaster, however, he deems Lupin to be trustworthy, and I am not one to argue with him. After all, he finds me trustworthy after all that I have done, so I must be grateful." Snape said - for the first time, I was hearing his real feelings. I had never seen him let his guard down like this, before.  
  
"I wonder if he's wise to be so trusting." I muttered, "He trusted Quirrell."  
  
"Actually, he didn't." Snape noted.  
  
That surprised me, "He acted like he did." I said, looking up at Snape as we walked back towards the common room.  
  
"He believed my advice when I said Quirrell was up to something." he said, stopping, "And now, I suggest you try to get some sleep. I doubt the nightmare will return now you have seen the wolf is tame."  
  
"Thank you, Professor." I said, turning to the wall and saying, "Azkaban."  
  
"Nice choice of password." Snape muttered.  
  
"It was 'Dementor' at the start of the year ... Flint's idea. I think it's going to be 'Kiss' around Christmas ... mistletoe and all."  
  
"Marcus Flint is a delightful child, isn't he?" Snape asked sarcastically.  
  
I snorted with suppressed laughter, and returned to the safety of the common room.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 8 


	9. Hogsmeade

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
dragonsprincess: The dream was meant to imply Lupin wouldn't hurt her because Black would protect her. This story is totally different from ATHSS, and I don't really like it when people try to compare them.  
  
angelkas: Yes, Theo really is attracted to shiney objects.  
  
Caz Malfoy: *sighs* fine, I'll not delete ATHSS ... but I still don't get why anyone likes it ... ok, it got better as it went on, but I can't understand how anyone could get past the first two totally-crappy books of it.  
  
Bob: I just don't like ATHSS as much as this ... there are parts of the last three books of ATHSS I am quite proud of, I just don't understand how people get that far, when the first two-or-three books of it are so crap!  
  
Akuma-sama: Well, I do like writing PoA ... but not so much happens in my version of it ... obviously you have lots of stuff planned for it, so I also look forward to that ... and your next chapter - hint hint.  
  
Starre: Actually, that's not far off what the Muggle Studies teacher would wear ... not what the man I based him on would wear, but I think you got the character's "fashion sense" pretty accurate, there.  
  
Sinical-Sarchasm: Yeah, that is freakish ... I think I'm two of those, I'm not bipolar, though.  
  
Introducing Hogsmeade, the Shrieking Shack, and Padfoot.  
  
Chapter 9 - Hogsmeade  
  
Nothing interesting happened between then and the end of October. The day before Halloween, I dawdled after Potions class. "Mr Malfoy?" Snape asked, as the last student left.  
  
"I just wanted to make sure that ... that our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher is ... taking his medication." I said.  
  
"I made a point to watch him take it, today, and will endeavour to do so tomorrow." Snape said coldly, "You have no need to worry, Mr Malfoy."  
  
"Thank you, sir." I said, smiling. I knew it would be a wolf moon on Halloween, and I wasn't going to take any chances. I really am terrified of werewolves ... I think I mentioned that before, once or twice.  
  
* * *  
  
October 31st was the first Hogsmeade trip - Father had owled my permission form in at the start of the year, to save me the trouble. Pansy was prancing around the breakfast table like a hyperactive pixie, obviously excited about getting to Hogsmeade ... I made a mental note to keep her away from Honeydukes - she had already consumed far too much sugar. Theo was planning a visit to Zonko's to stock up on supplies to annoy Lupin. Milli, Blaise and Cat were discussing the feast later that evening, and seemed to be up to something.  
  
I had been to Hogsmeade a few times before, and knew some of the shops there, but it was a much cheaper than Diagon Alley. I had never seen the Shrieking Shack, though - I wanted to see that - it was supposed to be haunted, and I like ghosts ... except the Bloody Baron, but there's always an exception to the rule.  
  
* * *  
  
I noticed Potter decided to stay safely in the castle, away from all the Dementors. And they say Gryffindors are brave - ha.  
  
Pansy was clinging to me like she was afraid I'd disappear the moment she left me alone ... I would have, too, if she'd let me. Crabbe and Goyle followed us, too stupid to realise that, one, Pansy didn't want them hanging around us, and two, they had no interest in where either of us wanted to go.  
  
Pansy dragged me around Gladrags and some other shops that only a female would go to without a pre-planned list of things to buy. I was bored out of my mind.  
  
"Just this one more shop, Draco." Pansy said cheerfully.  
  
"You said that three shops ago." I noted.  
  
"But this one's got -"  
  
"NO!" I snapped, "I want to go to the Three Broomsticks. I want to go to Honeydukes, and I want to see the Shrieking Shack. If you keep dragging me along on your little girly shopping spree, I will not have time to do anything I want. You go on - take these two twits with you, and I will go and meet up with Theo, at Zonko's."  
  
Pansy pouted, "But DRACO!" she whined.  
  
"Pansy." I said in my best diplomatic tone, "Please. I'll sit with you at the Feast - I promise. But I know you don't want to go near the Shrieking Shack, and I really want to see it. I'll meet you back at the school gates in time to go back up to Hogwarts together. O.K.?"  
  
With a dramatic sigh and a bit of a huffy tone, Pansy replied, "Fine, fine. I'll meet you then." and with that, she beckoned for Crabbe and Goyle to follow her into the shop.  
  
I almost pitied those two, if I didn't know they were too stupid to be put out by Pansy's attitude.  
  
I made my way quickly to Zonko's Joke Shop, where it wasn't hard to find Theo. He looked like he was debating whether to buy Dungbombs or Stink Pellets.  
  
"Get them both." I said.  
  
Theo didn't even pretend to be startled by my sudden appearance, "Good idea." he said, taking one box of each and walking over to the counter to pay for them.  
  
As we left the shop, he then asked me, "Did you ditch the bitch, then?"  
  
"She's not that bad ... she doesn't annoy me on purpose, it's an innate talent that she hasn't learned to control yet." I said, smirking.  
  
"Uh huh. And she's a bitch."  
  
"If you say so."  
  
"Honeydukes?" he asked, pointing towards the sweetshop. I nodded and followed him into the shop. I watched as he stocked up on blood-flavour-lollipops ... strange child. I bought a couple of bars of chocolate, with respect to the fact that I had to pass the Dementors again.  
  
We made our way silently, to the Three Broomsticks and got drinks of Butterbeer - I've been in here before, but I had never tried the Butterbeer - it was delicious, the best drink I had ever tasted.  
  
"What - you never tried this before?" Theo asked, stunned.  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, I have not been exposed to the outside world that much, Theo. I have only ever been anywhere with my parents, before Hogwarts, and mother would never let me have something like this - apparently it's too common for a Malfoy, and I should drink stuff that had a designer label and a French name."  
  
Theo made a gagging noise, "I pity you. I tried one of those, it made me sick for a week."  
  
"Must have been one of the cheaper ones."  
  
"I couldn't afford the proper stuff."  
  
"That's why I was force-fed it, to prove my family is better than everyone else." I said bitterly ... and that stuff is bitter, too. Now this Butterbeer is good.  
  
"Stuck up snobs." he said cheerfully.  
  
"We are, aren't we?" I asked, taking his insult as a compliment - easiest way to annoy anyone who's trying to insult you. He ignored it and was most un-annoyed.  
  
* * *  
  
As we wandered up to the Shrieking Shack, we were accosted by the Weasley twins.  
  
"What're you two doing here?" one of them asked.  
  
"We're going up to the Shrieking Shack." I growled.  
  
"Wanna see if we can get inside." Theo noted. Well, maybe he did - I was more interested in seeing if I could talk to any of the ghosts there.  
  
"No way in." one Weasley said.  
  
"We've been trying for the last couple of years, so far." the other added.  
  
"Well, you're Weasleys, aren't you? You're inferior minds obviously can't work out how to get in." I snapped.  
  
One Weasley drew his wand, pointing it at me, "Just because you're pretending to be an invalid doesn't mean we won't hex you, Malfoy." he said coldly.  
  
"Whoa, whoa." Theo said, stepping between the Weasleys and me, "Let's not kill each other." he said, holding his hands up in what was supposed to ask for the twins and I to stand down, "How about we work together on this one - you tell us what you've worked out about the place so far, and we'll tell you whatever we work out from it when we take a look - maybe together, we can find a way in."  
  
I really didn't think I'd need the Weasleys' help, but they seemed to consider Theo's suggestion, "All right, then. There's a hole round the left side, but it's magically protected so you can't cut it any bigger, and no human could fit through it. McGonagall might be able to get in there, but you can understand why we'd not ask for her help, can't you?"  
  
I smirked slightly, "Thanks." Theo said, "Now we'll tell you anything we figure out about it, after we've had a look."  
  
The twins nodded, recognising my continued hostility towards them, and seeming to realise that Theo was playing the peacemaker and it'd be a good idea to play along. They departed without further confrontation.  
  
Theo then started round the side of the Shack and I followed him. As I turned the corner, I found him kneeling down and looking through a torn hole in the wall of the building, "Pretty messed up in there - normal ghosts didn't do that. Maybe Peeves used to live here." he suggested.  
  
"How badly is it trashed?" I asked, standing over him imperiously - I was not about to degrade myself my kneeling down in the dirt. And I didn't want to get my robes dirty, either.  
  
"Total devastation ... my bedroom at home is a palace of tidy organisation, compared to in there." Theo said to me.  
  
I smirked - his personality didn't leave much room for doubt that it would be impossible to find floor-space in his bedroom. "So it's a bit untidy?" I asked, with sarcasm.  
  
"Just a bit." Theo concurred with greater sarcasm.  
  
"Theo." I said, suddenly - I had spotted an animal approaching - Theo looked up, followed the direction of my gaze, and froze for a second. It was a large black dog, and it was walking towards us. It stopped a few feet away and stared at us. I took a step backwards, "Just back away from it, slowly, Theo - it'll not do anything to us if we don't pose a threat."  
  
Theo, however, had other ideas. He stood up and walked slowly towards the animal, reaching into his pocket and producing a mini-cauldron cake and holding it out to the dog, "Here, boy." he said in a kind tone, "Nice doggie."  
  
The dog took a few tentative steps towards Theo, sniffed the cauldron cake, and then snapped up the offered treat in one bite. It licked its jaws and looked up at Theo with what appeared to be gratitude.  
  
"Want another?" Theo asked it.  
  
"Don't encourage it, Theo." I snapped, backing away a little more.  
  
The dog looked at me pointedly, then turned to Theo and nodded hopefully. Theo produced a handful of the mini-cakes and handed them to the dog one at a time. The dog seemed to be practically starving - it was wolfing down the food it was offered like it hadn't eaten in years.  
  
After Theo had emptied his hands of the cakes, he said, "Sorry, boy - that's all I've got ... you wouldn't like the lollipops, and chocolate is bad for dogs." he then proceeded to scratch the dog behind the ear in a friendly way. The dog leaned into his hand, figuratively lapping up the attention. "See, Draco. He's harmless. Just a stray."  
  
"Just be careful." I muttered, "You never know which animals will bite you 'til it's too late."  
  
The dog glanced at me for a second, but decided to continue ignoring me and returned its attention to the ear-scratching Theo was giving it.  
  
"Watch it doesn't give you fleas." I noted.  
  
The dog glared at me, "No fleas on him." Theo said coolly, "Are there, boy?" he asked. The dog shook his shaggy head, but after a while it seemed to tire of Theo's attention and started to trot off around the side of the Shrieking Shack. Theo watched it, with a puzzled expression, then followed a moment later. "He's gone." he announced.  
  
"Gone where?"  
  
"Disappeared ... run off ... gone." Theo reiterated.  
  
"Eat and run. Nice animal." I noted.  
  
Theo shrugged, "I liked him. He was ... he looked a lot like that thing Cat turned the Boggart into."  
  
I snorted, "Sure ... all stray dogs look alike." I muttered, turning to leave - I had outstayed my interest and the place was old news, now.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 9 


	10. Black Attack

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Cyclone49: Sorry, just got your review after I posted the last chapter.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Yeah, but that's just 'cause you're a slash fan ... other than those two scenes, what is there for you to like?  
  
dragonsprincess: My cat is a Malfoy. Seriously ... nah, you're right, not every smart animal is a wizard in disguise ... but my cat is still evil!  
  
Starre: huh? You're crazy.  
  
Akuma-sama: Has everyone here gone insane or is it just me? Oh, and yay for the soon-for-me-to-read new chapter.  
  
Hyperactive Theodore Nott, candy, Peeves, and a star-lit night in the Great Hall.  
  
Chapter 10 - Black Attack  
  
At the Feast that night, Pansy made up for her absence during the day, by hanging all over me like a very annoying cloak ... and I mean very annoying.  
  
The food was good, though.  
  
All the ghosts were present. Even Peeves hovered above the Slytherin table, among the bats, occasionally lashing out and swatting them. The Baron kept giving Peeves glares that could only mean Peeves was under direct orders to be on his best behaviour. About halfway through the Feast, Peeves drifted down below the bats and hovered above me, "Loopy Lupin gone Loony yet?" he asked jeeringly.  
  
"More than you'd imagine." I said coldly.  
  
"He's a right lunatic." Theo added with a grin - Cat shot the three of us vicious glares. Peeves returned this with a grin.  
  
"Are you bothering students again, Peeves?" a cold voice asked behind me. I turned to see the Bloody Baron hovering nearby.  
  
"I was just making polite conversation, Your Bloodiness, sir." Peeves grovelled.  
  
"Out. Now, Peeves." the Baron growled quietly. And Peeves, slightly panicked, nodded and zoomed out the door.  
  
After the Feast was all eaten, the ghosts (with the exception of the Baron, who chose to stay well out of it) did some fairly spectacular displays of synchronised flying, and Sir Nicholas, the Gryffindor ghost, re-enacted his failed beheading (I heard the Baron mutter that he maybe should have let Peeves stay, if only to heckle Sir Nicholas).  
  
As we were leaving, I heard Hermione compliment Sir Nicholas on his amazingly realistic performance, and watched as he bowed to her and nearly lost his head again.  
  
Then I spotted Potter leaving - I couldn't let him leave in such good spirits, so I shouted at him, "The Dementors send their love to Potter!"  
  
He ignored me ... the bloody git ignored me!  
  
Theo had had too much candy - he was prancing circles around me, singing, "Trick or treat, smell my feet." repetitively. Obsessive-compulsive, much?  
  
As I sat down on my bed, Theo started removing his shoes. "You've had too much sugar, Theo."  
  
"Trick or treat, smell my feet."  
  
"You're insane."  
  
"Trick or treat, smell my feet."  
  
"I give up."  
  
"Trick or treat, smell my feet."  
  
Just then, the door burst open and Marcus Flint stood there glaring at us, "Hey - learn to knock - there is such a thing as privacy, you know." I snapped.  
  
"Shut up, Malfoy." Flint said angrily.  
  
"Trick or treat, smell my feet." Theo sang, waving his foot in the air.  
  
"You shut up too, Nott, before I remove your feet." Flint growled. Theo shut up. "Now, all four of you, up to the Great Hall - move it." And with that delightful announcement, Flint then left, on his own way up to the Great Hall.  
  
"Put your shoes back on before you asphyxiate everyone." I said to Theo. Reluctantly, he did so.  
  
* * *  
  
When we entered the Great Hall, we found the other three houses and half the Slytherins there already. The rest of our house followed soon after us.  
  
Cat, Blaise and Pansy approached us and Blaise announced, "The Patils are saying the portrait guarding Gryffindor Tower was attacked by Sirius Black." Cat nodded solemnly in agreement.  
  
"Serves them right for having a portrait guard their tower, doesn't it?" I stated flatly.  
  
"How'd he get in, though?" Theo asked, still bobbing on his feet, like a maniac, and just repressing the urge to dance around the room, because of the seriousness of the situation ... pun intended, this time.  
  
"No idea." Blaise said.  
  
"It's scary that someone like that - a raving maniac - could get inside ... someone must have helped him." Pansy said softly.  
  
"Who'd do a thing like that?" Cat asked - if I hadn't known Black was her father, I'd not have noticed the defensive tone she adopted.  
  
"No idea." I muttered, glancing up to see the teachers had finished a heated, if brief, debate.  
  
Dumbledore now spoke loudly, for the entire Hall to hear, "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle. I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the Prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the Hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge. Any disturbances should be reported to me immediately." at this point he had turned to the Weasley wearing a badge that said 'Bighead Boy' (probably the twins' work, I'd wager), "Send word with one of the ghosts." he then glanced around the room, seeming to consider something, "Oh, yes, you'll be needing ..." and with a wave of his wand, the tables evacuated the floor-space and a vast number of sleeping-bags appeared in the middle of the floor. "Sleep well." he finished, and the teacher population departed.  
  
"They expect me to sleep on the floor?" I asked in my best impudent tone.  
  
"Yes, they do, apparently." Cat said coldly, snatching a sleeping bag for herself. Theo grabbed a bag too and proceeded to swing it around his head like a lasso.  
  
I rolled my eyes and tried to pretend I didn't know the escaped madman who was currently singing, "Trick or treat, smell my feet." again.  
  
"Are we sure Black was the one who's been living in Azkaban for the last twelve years?" I asked acidly, "Are we sure you're not the Demented one?" I added, glaring at Theo. He tried to sober up slightly.  
  
"What?" he asked, "Sugar, plus teenager, equals hyper." he said, in a surprisingly reasonable tone.  
  
"EVERYONE INTO THEIR SLEEPING BAGS!" Bighead Boy yelled. "COME ON, NOW, NO MORE TALKING! LIGHTS OUT IN TEN MINUTES!"  
  
I spotted two separate lots of Weasley hair (the twins were one, and the side-kick with his hero were the other) moving to two separate corners at one end of the Hall. I promptly grabbed a sleeping bag and stalked to the far end of the Hall from any Weasley presences, whatsoever. The opposite corner from Potter and his pet Weasley, too. Theo, Cat and Blaise followed me. Pansy decided to take Crabbe and Goyle to the fourth corner, with Milli and half-a-dozen Ravenclaw gossipmongers.  
  
I sat on top of the sleeping bag I had taken, trying to look like the idea of sleeping on the floor was beneath me, while the other three climbed into the bags and lay down.  
  
"Whassamatter, Draco?" Theo asked, looking up at me, "Not going to sleep?"  
  
"Not going to lower myself to the standards of the common crowd." I replied coolly.  
  
Theo snorted and rolled over, deciding to talk to Blaise instead, "So how'd you figure Black got in, then?" he asked.  
  
"I don't know." Blaise said calmly, "Can't Apparate in here, and Apparation can be tracked anyway, so the Ministry would have caught him if he'd tried to Apparate anywhere. Can't Floo in. Would have been seen if he'd flown. Dementors at every known entrance." she sighed deeply, "Maybe there's a secret passageway someone's not telling us about?" she said in a tone that made it sound like she was asking if we knew of any such secret passage.  
  
"I know there's ways to Hogsmeade, from inside the castle, but Filch also knows them." Theo noted, "Then again, the twins-de-la-Weasley might know something. If anyone can get anywhere, in this castle, it'd be them, I'd bet."  
  
"Well, they look just as confused as we are." I noted, looking across the Hall at said Weasleys, who were talking to each other in low whispers, and wearing equal looks of confusion and thoughtfulness.  
  
"Lie down, Draco." Blaise muttered.  
  
I glared at her, but then slowly climbed into the sleeping bag I had been seated on, laying on my stomach and propping my head up in my hands, "I don't like this." I muttered, "It's like sleeping outdoors."  
  
"It's like being out under that stars." Cat said dreamily, "It's beautiful."  
  
"Yeuch." I replied bitterly.  
  
"Cat." Theo said suddenly. She looked round at him - he was staring at her with an intent interest that made it obvious that he had an idea, "Why did you link Black to that dog, in Defence class?" he asked.  
  
I rolled my eyes - not this rubbish again. Cat stared at him for a minute, before answering, "I don't know. It just felt right, somehow ... and you have to admit, a big thing like that asking for its tummy rubbed is funny."  
  
"Yes, but ... ah, forget it." Theo muttered.  
  
"THE LIGHTS ARE GOING OUT NOW!" Bighead Boy yelled, "I WANT EVERYONE IN THEIR SLEEPING BAGS AND NO MORE TALKING!"  
  
A few minutes passed in silence, then I heard a whisper from Cat, who had rolled onto her back and was looking up at the sky, "Twinkle twinkle little star, how I wonder what you are, up above the world so high, like a diamond in the sky." her eyes appeared almost glazed over and she looked like she had been in a trance.  
  
"What was that, Cat?" I asked in as quiet a whisper as I could, so as to avoid the wrath of Weasley.  
  
"Huh? I didn't say anything." Cat whispered, sounding really confused.  
  
"Yes you did, Cat." Blaise muttered, "You sang Twinkle Twinkle Little Star."  
  
"I didn't." Cat whispered indignantly.  
  
"Out of tune, I might add." Theo hissed.  
  
"Yep." I whispered, "Only I was too polite to mention that detail, Theo."  
  
Cat was still staring at the ceiling ... at the stars, "It's beautiful, you know ... odd, though ... Mars is nowhere to be seen ... Trelawney says he's always out when someone's out for blood without good reason."  
  
"So that's that star I saw over the Forest, in first year?" I asked.  
  
"Probably." Theo muttered, "Well, He was definitely out for blood, then, wasn't He?"  
  
"Shut up." I muttered.  
  
I eventually dosed off after about an hour.  
  
* * *  
  
Flint broke the bad news to the Gryffindors, about their Quidditch switch, two days before the match was due. By Flint's account, Wood threw a fit.  
  
And so, the Gryffindors proceeded to lose dramatically, to Hufflepuff. It was wonderful fun to watch.  
  
It was so much fun that the Dementors were drawn to it, to try to make everyone miserable ... didn't work on most of the Slytherins - Flint even cheered for the Dementors, when Potter fainted again. Fifty feet in the air, going at full speed ... he fell.  
  
Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your opinion of the boy-who-lived-to-mess-up-the-Dark-Lord's-plans), Dumbledore caught him with a levitation spell, and sent the Dementors away with some silvery thing I had never seen before - it looked like a sort of bird that chased them away.  
  
I had been in the back row of the stands, and had had to duck as the wind swept the Nimbus 2000 over my head, and away. I turned to watch as it rammed headlong into the same tree that Potter had crashed Mr Weasley's car into over a year previously. Potter's possessions seem to like hitting that tree ... and it hits back pretty violently, too. That'll not have survived.  
  
"Cool. Bye bye, broomstick." Theo yelled next to me, over the noise of the storm and the crowd - I glanced at him, and saw he was looking the same way I was.  
  
"There goes the competition." I shouted in response.  
  
* * *  
  
Having served its purpose, my 'damaged' arm immediately wasn't. Pansy instantly had me doing ridiculous impersonations of Potter falling off his broom ... it felt degrading, impersonating my enemy like that ... but what Pansy wants, she far too often gets - more often than not, just to make her shut up.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 10 


	11. Crookshanks and the Great Rubber Duck Co...

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar. And an entire new scene has been added at the end of this chapter ... the quote from the Muggle magazine is genuine, from the New Scientist, 19 July 2003.  
  
Starre: Do you have a page reference for where it says Quirrell's name? Just wondering, because I like to know these things.  
  
emerald: Well, it's like this ... imagine how you see your character in a computer game - you see them from behind, and you see sorta what they see - at least what's in front of them, anyway. Therefore, he could see the back of Quirrell's head, and the fact Cat was grabbed by her hair.  
  
Caz Malfoy: *sighs* I just won't bother arguing ... I guess, there are some good points about ATHSS, I just like DMPOV better, is all, really. Oh, I agree with you, I would also love to sleep in the Great Hall, just as you said *evil grin*.  
  
angelkas: Yes, I've known someone like that ... horrible, isn't it? Theo isn't quite like normal people ... I thought I'd established this ... he's not quite sane, therefore he's entitled to bouts of childish insanity ... he doesn't need that much candy to get that hyper - trust me, I get that bad on one can of coke and a bar of dairy milk! Oh, I would love to have written the Wood-throwing-a-fit scene, but I just couldn't do it justice ... the imagination is so much better at that than the written word *evil grin*. Who are idiots? And I reiterate - Theo isn't sane, therefore he doesn't count as a normal 13 year old ... the others aren't singing it - the others are insulting him for singing it - these kids are acting more mature than me, so the better be IC for 13!  
  
dragonsprincess: My cat has white fur, blue eyes, is a demon disgusted as an adorable kitten ... and I named him Draco. As I said earlier ... Theo isn't being immature, or masochistic - he's being insane! Theo isn't entirely in his right mind ... although I think even for a lunatic, it would take some guts to say that to Draco, yes.  
  
"What, exactly, is the function of a rubber duck?" -Arthur Weasley, in the Chamber of Secrets movie.  
  
Chapter 11 - Crookshanks and the Great Rubber Duck Conspiracy  
  
Wandering the dungeons, between dinnertime and curfew (after a particularly 'festive' Charms class - Flitwick seems to think that all the students actually want to get into the 'Christmas Spirit' at this time of year - ha) as I tend to do when bored, I was suddenly passed by a pair of flying fur-balls ... well, they weren't actually flying, but they were running so fast it looked like their paws barely touched the ground.  
  
A ginger streak, that turned out to be a large cat, was chasing a smaller fur-ball that had to be a castle-rat.  
  
I turned to watch them speed down the corridor, but the rat was having none of it - it turned sharply left and into a hole in the wall ... the cat crouched down and proceeded to swipe its paw into the hole, in a vain attempt to catch the rodent.  
  
"You'll not get it now." I said calmly. The cat stopped clawing at the rat-hole and looked up at me, "Those rat-holes go all the way around the school ... almost as good as the secret passageways ... it's gone."  
  
The cat walked towards me, winding around my ankles and purring.  
  
"What do you want?" I asked.  
  
It just continued to purr and wind around my ankles. I picked him up, holding him carefully and stroking the thick fur on his back.  
  
"There you are, Crookshanks!" Hermione's voice called from the end of the corridor, and she rushed towards me.  
  
"This your cat?" I asked.  
  
"Yes. Where's Scabbers?" she asked, now in a worried tone.  
  
"Who ... or what ... is Scabbers?" I asked, still holding Crookshanks - odd name for a cat, if you ask me ... then again, it was a bit bow-legged.  
  
"He's a rat ... Crookshanks chased him out of the Gryffindor tower and I've been looking for them for the last half hour ... if Ron finds out about this he'll get really mad at me." Hermione said in a rush.  
  
"The rat went in there." I said, pointing at the hole through which the rodent disappeared.  
  
Hermione knelt down at the hole and started speaking in a soothing tone, "Scabbers - come out, Scabbers - it's O.K. - no cats to get you. It's safe now, Scabbers."  
  
Suddenly, a rat's nose appeared in the hole, sniffing nervously. I held Crookshanks tighter, as he tried to get to the rat. Hermione carefully picked up the rat and held him to her chest, protectively - at that moment I really wished I was that rat ... I didn't just think that, did I?  
  
"Is that the rat that bit Goyle, on the train in first year?" I asked, eyeing the creature with disapproval.  
  
"From what Harry and Ron tell me ... yes." Hermione said, smiling, "I'm sure Goyle's forgotten about it by now." she added in a tone that implies she doubts Gregory Goyle had either the brain power or the memory span of a goldfish ... she was probably right.  
  
"You've got a point." I noted, "It's Weasley's, isn't it?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I would say something about his not being able to afford a real pet, but I don't want to make you mad at me." I said carefully.  
  
"You just did ... and surprisingly, I'm not going to get mad." she said, smiling.  
  
"Why a rat, of all things, though?" I asked, truly confused.  
  
"It ... why should I tell you?" she snapped, "Ron'd be mad as hell if I told you."  
  
I shrugged, "Fine. I don't much care about Weasley's rat, anyway ... this animal is much nicer, I think." I said, shifting Crookshanks' weight, so I could hold him more easily.  
  
"He seems to like you, Malfoy." she noted.  
  
"Surprising, actually." I said, scratching the cat behind the ears, "Since you were right about my Animagus form - I'd be a ferret."  
  
"I thought it'd be something like that." she said, smiling and trying to calm the suddenly panicked rat.  
  
"What's with him? Crookshanks is almost dozing." I said, frowning.  
  
"I don't know - he's been twitchy since the Weasleys got back from Egypt." she said, pausing to make soothing noises to the rat.  
  
I meanwhile petted Crookshanks, "What do you see in that rat anyway, boy?" I asked, "He's all skin a bones - there's some really juicy rats down in the dungeons, if you wanted them."  
  
"You would feed them to him, live, too, wouldn't you?" Hermione asked, bemused.  
  
"Of course I would." I said, "What's wrong with that? It's the natural order of things - food chain, and all."  
  
"Hmmm ... just don't - if he gets a taste for rats, he'll never leave poor Scabbers be."  
  
"If he gets a taste for real rats, he'll leave that anorexic creature alone." I noted.  
  
"Maybe." she said, "You want to hold on to him for a while? I'm sure he can find his way back on his own."  
  
"I'd like that ... of course, no one will know that I am aware who's cat this is ... right?"  
  
"Right." she said, smiling at me and walking off, clinging tightly to an almost apoplectic rat, in case it tried to escape again.  
  
* * *  
  
I carried Crookshanks into the common room, "Where'd you get that from?" Theo asked, looking up from where a large group of Slytherins were crowded round a table.  
  
"Found him wandering the dungeons - he seems to like me." I said.  
  
"Odd." Theo muttered.  
  
"Shut up - what's this, anyway?" I asked, stealing a seat near the table everyone was crowded round - on this table sat a small yellow object.  
  
"It looks like a duck." one girl said.  
  
"It's not moved since I found it in the Prefects' Bathroom." Michael Zabini - now a prefect, this year - added.  
  
"It's made of Muggle plastic, I think." Theo said, staring intently at it.  
  
Cat appeared behind me, "It's called a rubber duck ... and I have no idea what it's for." she said.  
  
"It's not made of rubber - it's plastic." Theo protested.  
  
"I know ... but that's what it's called." Cat replied.  
  
"What's it for?" another boy asked.  
  
"Target practice?" Blaise suggested.  
  
"Yeah." Theo said, enthusiastically, "Line them up at the far wall, a whole bunch of them, and take a Muggle gun and -" he made a shape with his hands to resemble the aforementioned Muggle weapon, "- BANG, BANG, BANG!"  
  
Marcus Flint, who had been watching from a 'safe distance' then made a highly obscene suggestion for the purpose of the rubber duck, before wandering off, bored with the debate. Michael made a disgusted face, "Flint is a pervert." he muttered. It was impossible to disagree.  
  
"Maybe it's a chew toy - what do you think?" I asked, looking at the feline in my arms. Crookshanks shook his head with what had to be a revolted look on his face. "Or maybe it isn't." I added.  
  
We were still trying to come up with possible uses for this strange Muggle creation, when the Slytherin-Mudblood wandered into the room. "What's going on?" he asked curiously.  
  
"Come here, Mudblood." I said simply.  
  
"Don't call me that!" he snapped.  
  
"I will call you what I damned well please, now come here." I retorted.  
  
Growling quiet insults and uncast hexes, he stalked towards the table. "What is this?" Michael asked, pointing to the foreign object sitting on the table.  
  
"It's a rubber duck." the boy said simply.  
  
"We've figured that part out - it's a Muggle thing - what's it for?" Michael reiterated.  
  
"It's a toy ... small children - I mean very small children, like under six years old - play with them in the bath ... it's stupid, really ... and anyone who'd bring that to school with them is pathetically immature - probably a Hufflepuff." the Mudblood said calmly.  
  
I snorted with laughter, "Right - target practice, it is then." I said, smiling. I took out my wand and levitated the duck across the room, then threw an incineration hex at it - it melted with a pitiful hissing sound, and the rest of the house laughed and/or cheered. Including the Mudblood - for a Mudblood, he's actually turned out to be a good Slytherin ... for a Mudblood.  
  
* * *  
  
I took Crookshanks into the dormitory and pulled out a drawer from under my bed. "Hungry, Crookshanks?" I asked.  
  
He nodded enthusiastically, obviously smelling the rats.  
  
I reached into the cage in the drawer, "Right ... let's see - which one ... Bubble or Squeak?" I muttered, grinning.  
  
"That's morbid, Draco." Theo said, from the door.  
  
"I caught them for Serena." I said, "They were destined to end up in a predator's stomach anyway."  
  
"Serena?" Theo asked as I caught the fat brown rat with the black spot - Bubble (yes - I really had named them).  
  
"Yes - she's a grass snake - I got her when I was seven ... I finally found out last summer, that she actually doesn't like the mice I'd been feeding her - says she'd rather rats, so I caught these. Found some good use for understanding Parseltongue even if I can't speak it." I said. I then dangled the live rat in front of Crookshanks. "Want this?" I asked the cat. The rat was squirming and squealing in blind terror.  
  
Crookshanks nodded, visibly licking his jaws. I set the soon to be deceased Bubble down in front of Crookshanks, who pounced on the helpless rodent and killed it quickly and cleanly. I left him alone to his dinner, and took out a wrapped piece of cheese I had taken from the Great Hall, at lunchtime, from my pocket. "Here you go, Squeak." I muttered, dropping the cheese into the cage in front of the remaining rat.  
  
"You are cold-hearted, Draco." Theo muttered.  
  
"These rats would probably have been caught by the castle cats by now, anyway - this way, they get pampered and well treated until their demise." I said calmly, reaching into the cage and gently stroking the rat, which seemed completely unperturbed by the other rat's absence.  
  
"You named them, and you're feeding them to cats and snakes?" Theo asked - he wasn't horrified, just slightly surprised.  
  
"That's right." I said calmly, "They are also my pets, as long as I own them ... I just have the ability to heartlessly sever any emotional bond with the rats when the predatory pets want a snack."  
  
Theo shook his head, "It's because you are a predator at heart. Ferret."  
  
"Thank you." I replied coolly.  
  
* * *  
  
The next day, I wandered into the Library, to find Theo talking to a Ravenclaw girl who I had seen before, but did not know her name.  
  
"What are you up to now, Theo?" I asked, sitting down next to him, at the table they had been talking over.  
  
"Talking." Theo answered.  
  
"I noticed that. What about?" I asked.  
  
"You're Draco Malfoy." the girl said, looking at me.  
  
I turned my attention to her, "Yes ... I already knew that."  
  
"You're the Seeker on the Slytherin Quidditch team." she added, as if this was a great revelation.  
  
"Yes. I knew that too." I said, fast becoming annoyed with this girl.  
  
"We were talking about this." Theo said, sensing my annoyance, and deciding it would be best to distract me. He shoved a magazine towards me.  
  
I read the page that it was turned to.  
  
'The Great Rubber Duck Conspiracy.  
  
This reporter has recently heard rumours that a  
  
group of magically sentient rubber ducks are  
  
planning political and global conquest, enlisting  
  
the assistance of the pigeons. Barn owls have  
  
also proved unreliable, in the light of this new  
  
conspiracy. Henceforth, this publication will be  
  
using the slightly cheaper, and much more  
  
reliable tawny owls for delivery.  
  
A Muggle scientist made this comment in a  
  
popular Muggle magazine: "Impressed by the speed  
  
at which a cargo of rubber ducks travelled around  
  
the world's oceans after falling overboard in  
  
1992. The ducks, whose voyage was tracked by  
  
scientists, are expected to wash up on the New  
  
England shore anytime now." According to the  
  
Muggle tracking devices, the ducks have visited  
  
the Antarctic, and made treaty negotiations with  
  
the penguins, as well.  
  
And the head of department for the Misuse of  
  
Muggle artefacts claims there has been no  
  
magical alteration to any rubber ducks, and the  
  
only statement he was prepared to be quoted on  
  
was unsuitable for print.'  
  
"By 'unsuitable for print', does that mean he insulted the integrity of this paper? Because in that case my reaction to reading it is also unsuitable." I said coldly, handing it back to Theo.  
  
"What? It makes perfect sense!" Theo said reproachfully.  
  
"If you think so." I said, in my humouring-crazy-people voice.  
  
"Anyway, Draco, this is Luna Lovegood ... and she seems to know you, but it's polite to say: Luna, this is Draco Malfoy." Theo said, grinning.  
  
"Hello, Luna." I said offering her my hand, to shake.  
  
She looked at my hand for about a minute, before saying "Hello, Draco." and shaking my hand, more vigorously than was comfortable, but yet she didn't seem too enthusiastic about it.  
  
"So, besides rubber ducks plotting world domination, what have you two been talking about?" I asked, trying to sound polite.  
  
"Not much ... invisible beasts, giant spiders, and centaur politics ... nothing you'd be interested in, really, Draco." Theo replied.  
  
"Well ... in that case." I said, edging away from them, and standing up, "I'll just be going, then." I turned and walked away as quickly as I could. Theo has found someone on his own level ... that is a scary thought.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 11 


	12. Merry Bloody Christmas

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar. Two minor story-line changes, as well, but nothing major. Wonder if any of you can spot the two changes.  
  
dragonsprincess: Yep. Luna/Theo ... good pairing? Glad you liked the article. My cat has just learned to get up onto the table ... he's watching me typing, right now. Evil.  
  
Caz Malfoy: It's the great RUBBER DUCK conspiracy ... rubber ducks, not just ducks ... I swear, rubber ducks truly are evil.  
  
angelkas: Dairy milk is milk chocolate, yes. Theo's a little insane, but not totally insane ... like Draco said, he's on the same level as Luna, really. As for the rodents ... I would be able to do it ... ok, maybe I'm just cold, but then Draco in this fic is basically a male blonde version of me. And bubble and Ssqueak is a type of food - I'm told it's mashed potato with cabbage mixed through it.  
  
duochang97: Glad you liked the scene with Luna - she's one of my favourite characters, and I had to write her in once I'd read OotP. The scene you're referring to, about the functon of a rubber duck, is only in the movie. I'm not sure if Draco will find out everything about Sirius. And Sirius was referred to near the end of OotP, as "the last of the Blacks", so Cat was technically illigitimate, and Sirius probably doesn't know about her. Yet. When I read the Black family tree, I had an internal debate about editing Cat out of the fic completely ... but was outvoted by my reviewers. Crookshanks likes Draco for the same reason he liked Sirius ... he can sense that Draco is a good person, in spite of the fact most humans can't.  
  
In this chapter: bad news, misunderstandings, and a new pet for Draco.  
  
Chapter 12 - Merry Bloody Christmas  
  
I got home for the holidays, to find my father waiting in the hall for me, wearing an expression that told me it was bad news ... oh, he didn't look put out by it, but I had learned that that look means bad news for me. "What's the matter, Father?" I asked.  
  
"I have bad news for you, Draco." yeah - I had worked that out already.  
  
"What is it?" I asked in a slightly worried tone.  
  
"Your pet snake is dead. It escaped and one of the larger owls caught it."  
  
I stared at him for a moment, trying to force myself to believe it. I wasn't exactly attached to her, but I was still fairly shocked. Mostly because I hadn't realised owls would eat snakes.  
  
Father watched my apparent lack of reaction, carefully, before turning and leaving.  
  
"Merry bloody Christmas to you too." I muttered quietly, before trudging up the stairs to my room. My school trunk had arrived before me. I opened it and took out the small rat-cage, "Lucky you, huh, Squeak." I muttered, setting the cage on my bedside table. The black rat ignored me, preferring to scrabble at the corner of the cage. "You get to live a little longer." I tapped the side of the cage, smiling - I could see quite easily how one could kill for food - it made perfect sense to me - kill or die - but what didn't make sense was why anyone would want to wipe out an entire species for no reason other than disliking them ... the Dark Lord and those who believe in him - They kill for pleasure, for fun - that's not right.  
  
I sighed, resigned to another Christmas at home with the lunatics it brings ... at least they haven't spent the last twelve years in Azkaban, though some of them probably should have.  
  
* * *  
  
I was awoken on Christmas morning by the scrabbling noise of the rat. "Merry Christmas, Squeak - you lived to see it after all." I watched the skittering rodent for a minute, "Like you'd notice, anyway." I noted. "Shut up or I'll feed you to Noctowl." I added, as the scrabbling persisted.  
  
I dressed, checked my hair, and wandered slowly down to the Living Room, where my Christmas presents were always to be found, piled under the smallest Christmas tree in the Manor (not that that made much difference, it was only the smallest because this room had a lower ceiling). I sorted through them, shaking each one in turn, to see if it rattled (put into the probably-ornamental pile), rustled (put into the probably-clothing pile) or silent (opened immediately). I got several new sets of robes, and some other clothes, as well - yawn ... a load more cutesy things that female relatives on my mother's side seem to thing are adorable - double yawn ... three new books for my Dark Arts collection - now that was good ... and the last package, which had been sorted into probably-ornamental, and therefore left to the end, was anything but ornamental - it was an egg.  
  
I examined it carefully - it was fairly small ... I was certain what it was, though - I had seen them in Knockturn Alley before ... a Runespoor egg.  
  
I vaguely wondered if Serena's death had been completely accidental, but wasn't too worried. Squeak might not last to New Year, at this rate.  
  
At this point, Father entered the room, "I see you've found your presents, Draco."  
  
"Yes, Father." I replied, carefully setting the egg back into the soft packaging it had been in.  
  
"It should hatch some time tonight." he noted.  
  
I smiled, "Thank you."  
  
"Well, you did read that book you took from my Library, did you not?"  
  
"Yes. I did." I said, avoiding his gaze - I hadn't asked permission to take said book, let alone read it.  
  
"I am impressed it let you read it. I never could." Did he just admit that I was able to do something he couldn't? I looked up at him, stunned. "If what I have read about Runespoors is true, this one should be highly intelligent - those born from the left head usually take after that personality, most."  
  
I looked at the egg hopefully, "I should put it somewhere safe, like Serena's old cage, perhaps. Shouldn't I?"  
  
Father nodded, carefully picking up the box and carrying it into the Drawing Room, where a new cage was set up. He set the egg into this cage and sealed it. "We should keep it in here - it would be easier to conceal it if need be."  
  
I nodded, understanding that fully. It made sense that the Drawing Room is the best place to hide anything in this Manor. The secret compartment under the floor here has a trick door so that if anyone other than a Malfoy tried to open it, it would lead to an empty room (that's why I'm so unconcerned by the fact that I have reason to believe a Weasley knows about it).  
  
* * *  
  
That afternoon, the 'guests' started to arrive. Old friends of my father - each and every one of them has, at one point or another, been a follower of the Dark Lord. Although I was pleasantly surprised to see that Elric Nott had brought his evil offspring (Theodore) with him.  
  
We listened to the conversations over Christmas dinner, with next to no interest, Theo stifling yawns the whole time.  
  
"How can a gathering of evil-geniuses - the best Slytherin's alumni has to offer - be so mind-numbingly boring?" Theo muttered to me.  
  
"Practice." I replied, without hesitation.  
  
"Lucius." Walden Macnair said, conversationally, "Have you heard anything new about this Sirius Black situation?"  
  
Now that got my attention. "Nothing that you don't already know, Walden." Father replied.  
  
"Anyone ever actually met the man?" Elric asked coolly, "I mean, since the incident in his seventh year at Hogwarts. I am probably grateful I haven't heard from him since."  
  
"Bloody Gryffindor git." Mark Avery muttered.  
  
"Yes, that was the worst mess anyone has ever made of the Great Hall, in the whole history of Hogwarts." Father noted, "Of course, they couldn't expel him, since he had already graduated."  
  
"He was never at any of the meetings, but then spies rarely were." Avery noted.  
  
"He had me fooled." Macnair commented, "He was in the Aurors - high level, like Potter, Shacklebolt and Longbottom. No one would have thought he'd turn to us, even though he must already have."  
  
"He had everyone fooled, Walden. That's the way a real spy works. Of course, you wouldn't know, since you never were that convincing to the Ministry - they had you in for questioning at least five times." Father said coldly, "Hacking people to pieces and leaving witnesses ... really - the trouble we had making the paperwork go away, after the witnesses' 'freak accidents'."  
  
Macnair had the good sense not to push his point. I was surprised how openly they discussed these things in front of Theo and I - they must think we're old enough now to accept the gruesome details, while still eating dinner. Certainly, I didn't feel too nauseated - just repelled.  
  
After dinner, Theo and I managed to stay out of the adults' way, most of the time, "Ever noticed how these parties always end in violence?" Theo asked casually.  
  
"I usually make myself scarce by that point." I noted.  
  
"Smart move." Theo replied, nodding towards the door and starting across the Ball Room floor. A minute later, I followed.  
  
"Freedom ... relatively speaking." I whispered, leading him up the stairs.  
  
"I've never been beyond the Ball Room and Dining Room, in this place." Theo noted.  
  
"My room's on the second floor. I'll show you some of my Dark Art's collection - I got a new book on Elemental Curses, today."  
  
"Better'n getting caught in the crossfire, downstairs." Theo noted, sounding enthusiastic, "Elemental Curses - is that like fire, ice, and lightening?"  
  
"Yep."   
  
"Cool." he said, as I turned into my room - he followed, obviously trying not to look too jealous on seeing it. "Lucky git ... this is all yours?"  
  
"Mm hm ... and those are the new books." I added, pointing to the desk on which said books sat. He immediately grabbed the top book in this pile and stood there flicking slowly through it with great interest.  
  
I wandered over to the wardrobe and checked my hair (it's a habit - so sue me - no, seriously, don't). "Any idea what they meant about Black?"  
  
Theo shrugged, "Nope - he's an enigma, that one - total good-guy, everyone thought, white sheep of the family, as you well know - till he went and squealed."  
  
"Why would anyone betray their best friend ... even if that friend was a Potter?" I asked, removing the itchy and too-frilly family dress robes I had been wearing to reveal the new shirt and trousers I had received that morning - I hate official dinner parties at this house - I always have to wear those stupid robes and they look ridiculous.  
  
He shrugged again, "I wouldn't sell you out ... of course, that's not loyalty so much as you've got as much on me as I have on you, but a Gryffindor doesn't usually do that sort of thing."  
  
I smirked, "Well, the longer they take to catch him, the less likely it is that they actually will." I wandered over to see which book he was looking at - 'Muggle Superstitions and How To Exploit Them'.  
  
"That's not a good thing, though."  
  
"No? Who cares, really? It's not like one lunatic can bring Him back, is it?"  
  
"You'd be surprised." Theo muttered, turning a page in the book - the book didn't seem to like being opened to this page, and it leapt out of his hands, making him stumble forwards, just as I turned to face him - we both ended up on the floor.  
  
"What the hell?"  
  
"It didn't like me turning to page thirteen."  
  
I looked up at him, exasperated, "Get off me." I said, simply.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You are lying on top of me - get off." I repeated.  
  
"Oh - right." but before he could process the order, the door opened.  
  
All three people in the room froze for a whole minute.  
  
"Get. Off. My. Son." Father growled menacingly. Theo scrambled to his feet with unnatural speed - he was terrified.  
  
I picked myself up slowly, not daring to take my eyes off my father.  
  
He looked at me with disgust, "Get dressed, Draco." he said coldly. I was fairly stunned - I didn't know how to react to this situation. I was perfectly decent anyway, I'd thought (at least I was properly clothed, by any normal person's standards) - still, I grabbed the stupid dress robes and threw them on, hurriedly.  
  
"Mr Malfoy." Theo said weakly, "That wasn't what it looked like."  
  
"Silence." Father snarled, glaring at Theo - Theo had enough sense to shut up. "Both of you, follow me." Father said in what anyone else might mistake for a civil tone, but I had learned was really very, very dangerous. Silently, we did so. I was absolutely horrified by this situation - it had been an accident ... surely he didn't think...?  
  
"This isn't happening." Theo muttered to himself.  
  
"Yes it is." I replied in an emotionless voice.  
  
Outside the door to the Ball Room, Father stopped and turned to us, "You - stay away from my son - go." he pointed to the door indicating Theo really ought to return to the party. Theo took the opportunity to get out of the line of fire, leaving me alone with my father.  
  
"Father, I -" I started, but he interrupted me.  
  
"What do you think you were doing?" he asked.  
  
"I -"  
  
But he wouldn't let me speak, "I had thought that you would still be a bit young for such things, but let me make it clear to you, now - I will not tolerate that sort of behaviour from you." he was glaring at me, trying to stare me down, "I suggest you find yourself a girlfriend." he finished, still glaring.  
  
I refused to let him stare me down this time - I hadn't done anything wrong. "I -"  
  
He gave me a warning look and held up his hand to effectively say 'no arguments'.  
  
"Yes, Father." I muttered, finally turning away from his glare.  
  
Having said that, he returned to the Ball Room, where I unfortunately had to follow - my father proceeded to pick a fight with Theo's father, while I went to stand a respectable distance away from Theo.  
  
"Can you believe what he said to me? He said I should get myself a girlfriend ... I don't get it." I muttered, "First Tom Riddle, now my own Father thinks I'm gay ... I mean, do I LOOK gay?" I asked, in a low voice, so only Theo could hear me.  
  
He looked at me in an evaluating way, "You mean you're not?"  
  
I glared at him.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle will be disappointed." he joked.  
  
"That is not funny." I replied coldly.  
  
* * *  
  
As the 'guests' were leaving, I snuck into the Drawing Room, to see the egg was rattling. I walked quickly over to it, standing over the cage, watching it intently.  
  
There was movement in the doorway and Theo wandered over to me.  
  
"Back off, Theo." I said, not even looking at him.  
  
"Huh?" he asked, "You know nothing really happened back there."  
  
"That's not the point - the point is that I don't want this creature to imprint on you - it'll think the first thing it sees is it's parent." and I shoved him away from the cage, turning back to watch the egg again.  
  
Seconds later it hatched.  
  
The three heads of the black-and-neon-orange serpent all looked up at me. The left-hand head then hissed at me - it sounded like it said 'Mother?' I think it just implied it thought I was female - for that I frowned.  
  
The right-hand head then hissed furiously at the left - something to the effect of 'idiot - that human smells male, to me'.  
  
The left replied 'still parent'. It then looked to me for an answer - I nodded. It turned back to the right and hissed 'see?' in what had to be a smug tone.  
  
Carefully, I reached into the cage and let them sniff me properly - learn my scent properly - then I tentatively touched it at the point where the three heads meet - it seemed to like that.  
  
After a moment, I then backed away, sealing the cage again.  
  
'Where are you going?' the left hand head asked. I held up my hand to tell it to wait - writhing slightly irritably, it watched as I left. I was stopped by my father, who was glaring over my shoulder at Theo - Theo had been, and still was, watching the Runespoor intently.  
  
"What is going on?" Father asked.  
  
"I'm going to get something to feed to the Runespoor." I replied, sidestepping him. He watched me go, but didn't say anything further.  
  
I ran up to my room, snatched the rat from the cage and returning to the Drawing Room as quickly as possible. When I got back, Theo was glaring at the floor, with two diagonal scratches on his cheek that suspiciously matched the fangs on the cane my father insists on carrying with him at all times.  
  
Father watched me suspiciously, as I passed Theo, to get to the Runespoor, "what the hell happened to you?" I muttered.  
  
"Nothing." Theo replied, not looking at me.  
  
"Liar." I retorted, but at that moment, Father ordered him to leave, saying that Elric was leaving now and wanted to take his child with him. Theo jumped at the opportunity to get away.  
  
I looked at the rat I was clutching, then at the serpent in the cage, and asked, "It's still too young to kill this by itself, isn't it?"  
  
Father nodded, "Now might be an excellent opportunity to practice the curses I taught you, last summer." he suggested.  
  
That was an idea - during the summer holidays, he had taught me to use the Unforgivable Curses, and I hadn't had a good chance to try out the killing curse, yet. I held the rat up by the tail and took out my wand, touching it to the rat, "Avada Kedavra." I said quietly, concentrating more on the magic behind the curse than the actual words. It worked - the rat fell limp in my hands - dead. Better than Bubble got - this rat didn't even see it coming.  
  
I dropped the fresh meat into the cage and the three serpent-heads started a fight over which one would eat it.  
  
I watched for a moment, before pointing my wand at the rat and casting a severing charm that cut it in three equal pieces, hissing at the snake. 'Share.' I hadn't been sure if I could speak any of it, but I tried, and surprisingly it sounded right. Still, I only had a limited vocabulary, along the lines of 'don't bite' and 'kill'.  
  
All three of them looked up at me. 'Serpent Tongue?' the left asked surprised. I nodded slowly.  
  
'You don't speak much, do you?' the right asked. I bit my lip, smirking - I shook my head.  
  
'Why not?' the left asked.  
  
I frowned, opening my mouth but realising that I had no idea how to answer that - I couldn't speak enough of their language to make sense if I tried, "I don't suppose you understand human language?" I muttered. It just looked at me quizzically - obviously not, then - I just sighed, shaking my head, and shrugged.  
  
It seemed to accept this, and returned its attention to the rat.  
  
I then turned to face my father, who was now standing a few feet away, watching with interest. "Are you going to name it?"  
  
"Is it male or female?" I asked.  
  
I'm not sure how he knew the answer without checking, but he replied instantly, "Female."  
  
"I had an idea for names ... they need three separate names."  
  
"Yes?" he asked, intrigued.  
  
"Crucia, Imperia, and Avada." I replied, smirking.  
  
His only visible reaction was to raise one eyebrow, "Why?"  
  
"Well, for an illegal pet, they seem fitting ... and the middle head is always in a daze like an Imperius curse ... and the right-hand head has poisonous fangs ... it's logical." I replied coolly.  
  
He nodded slightly, "I see your reasoning. Yes, that makes sense."  
  
* * *  
  
I spent the rest of the holiday getting to know my new pet, and was quite disappointed to leave her behind when I returned to school in the New Year.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 12 


	13. Dreams From The Dementors

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
dragonsprincess: Thank you - I thought those names would suit it. My demon-cat is a he ... and he's only about 5 months old. We've only had him for four weeks.  
  
angekas: Yeah, I thought he looked a bit gay ... that's why I think it's so funny to have people see that, when he's actually not gay. Well, you saw how Macnair was about the Buckbeak incident ... it seems to fit with what little I know about him that he'd have hacked people to pieces when he was a Death Eater. I don't know how Lucius knew the snake was female, so I can't really tell ya.  
  
Starre: Thanks ... oh ... I never even knew there were trading cards.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Nah, Lucius isn't the same as ATHSS ... this fic is based entirely on canon - it is not and will hopefully never be AU (except Anti-Umbridge - it will be that - oh, the plot-bunnies for OotP are everywhere! *waves a cross at all the bunnies* back, demons, I'm not writing you for ages yet!).  
  
Logan: Yeah, I know that curse takes a lot of power ... you'd think that Harry's rival at school would be close (if not actually equal) to him, wouldn't you? Which plot-twist might that be? *fake innocent look that's fooling no one*. Thanks for the long review.  
  
slytherin-punk-rocker311: Sorry, I'm not on Neopets. I'm debating revealing more about Severus in GoF ... but I'm afraid if I do reveal what I think about him I'll end up having to do a total re-write of it when the next book comes out. I have ideas, though ... after all, there must have been more in that Pensieve in OotP than the one memory we saw *evil grin*.  
  
Bob: I had just finished publishing PoA when I started the rewrite - I uploaded the last chapter of PoA two days before OotP was released. I have several unfinished stories that I never published ... I may or may not finish them, it depends on my muses. And I don't have the right muses or motivation to rewrite ATHSS right now ... maybe some time I might ... maybe.  
  
I took far too much inspiration from Buffy the Vampire Slayer, for the nightmares in this chapter ... but I was high on caffine and insomnia at the time ... and besides, *whines* it was FUNNY!  
  
"Why spiders? Why couldn't it have been follow the butterflies?" -Ron Weasley, CoS movie.  
  
Chapter 13 - Dreams From The Dementors  
  
The first night back to school, I had another nightmare ... the frightening thing was it was so real - so believable, when it was happening. I was in the Chamber of Secrets again, apparently alone. That is until I was grabbed from behind.  
  
Tom held me tightly, by the arms, "Welcome back, Draco." he whispered, "Welcome to your worst nightmare."  
  
"What's going on?" I asked fearfully, "You're dead - Potter killed you. You can't be real."  
  
"I'm as real as your fear of me, Draco. As real as your loathing of me." Tom replied, "I was created by your darkest, most hated fears."  
  
"I don't know what you mean." I whispered, struggling to free myself from his grasp.  
  
"Don't fight me, Draco. It'll be worse for you, if you do." he whispered, forceably turning me to face him - he looked the same as he had done in the last dream I had of the Chamber of Secrets, except his eyes were now red instead of turquoise.  
  
"What do you want from me?" I asked.  
  
"What did you always fear I wanted from you?" he replied, "Your innocence ... your soul." he pulled me towards him, and I felt ice-cold lips on my cheek, kissing me violently.  
  
My eyes widened with horror, as I realised exactly what he meant - exactly what he wanted. This really was what I had always feared from him, since that kiss the day Hermione had been Petrified - I had deliberately not considered it, consciously, before. "No." I whispered, trying to keep the choking sound out of my voice, "Please don't."  
  
His hand moved to grip my jaw, tilting my head back to force me to look up at him. "You don't really expect me to listen to your pleas for mercy, do you?" he asked condescendingly.  
  
I bit my lip and held my arms up between us, trying to push away from him, but he was too strong. "Let me go!" I shouted, kicking at his legs. My reasoning was that he was already dead - this had to be simply a nightmare from my own mind, so he couldn't hurt me if I could just get away from him now.  
  
Tom laughed, "Don't be so foolish, boy. There's nowhere to run." Suddenly, the entire Chamber started to shake, almost like an earthquake. "What's happening?" Tom asked, letting me go, in his confusion.  
  
As soon as I was free from his grasp, I woke up. I found myself being violently shaken awake by Theo.  
  
"I'm awake." I snapped, "Stop it!"  
  
Theo immediately let go of my shoulder, "You were having a nightmare ... and even if you hadn't been, I'd have woken you to tell you about mine." he said, sitting down on the edge of my bed.  
  
I sat up, wiping a cold sweat from my forehead, "You don't need to hear what I was dreaming about." I said quietly.  
  
"You were kicking, and shouting 'let me go'." Theo noted.  
  
"You said you wanted to tell me about your nightmare." I said, carefully avoiding the subject of my own - I didn't want to share that little horror story with anyone else, at all. I subconsciously rubbed the side of my face - I could still feel the cold in it - if the dream had been real, I was sure it would have been bruised. I think He even bit me.  
  
Theo gave me an odd look, before sighing in a way that said he really wanted to be a nosey git, but would refrain from doing so, for now, "It was a nightmare I'd thought I'd outgrown years ago. I was wandering through a labyrinth, totally lost, and something was following me. It's the freakiest nightmare I'd ever had, and last time I had it I stayed awake for seventy-two hours straight, after it." he said, watching my reaction - I just stared straight back at him, impassively, "The only thing is, this voice that wasn't there before, saying, 'what's behind you? Scared of your shadow, eh, Theodore? I'm not surprised, but you're the easiest - you're worst horror is so simple to recreate'. I don't get where that came from."  
  
"Weird. My nightmare, there was someone else in it, and he said he was created by my darkest, most hated fears." I said quietly, staring across the room, at the stone wall.  
  
"Who?"  
  
"I told you I wasn't going to tell you about it." I growled.  
  
Just then, Crabbe sat bolt upright, his hands over his face, gasping with terror. He looked around, slowly taking in the fact that he was in the dormitory, "Just a dream." he whispered.  
  
"What was it?" I asked.  
  
Crabbe looked at me dumbly, for a second, before answering, "I went up to the Great Hall for breakfast, and everyone had turned into ghosts and all the food was rotten like at ghost parties, and there was nothing to eat."  
  
"That sounds like a nightmare to me." I said in a snide tone, while Theo tried not to laugh at Crabbe's idea of a nightmare.  
  
"And this voice saying, 'greedy git, try the haggis, the maggots are nice this time of year'." Crabbe added, shuddering.  
  
"There's a running theme, here - voices taunting us in our nightmares." I said, "Who thinks this might not be a coincidence?"  
  
"Given that you don't believe in coincidences, I'd say you think something's going on?" Theo asked.  
  
I nodded, but didn't get a chance to speak for Goyle jumping up and whacking something imaginary off his shoulders and hair. After at least half a minute, he realised it had been a dream, too. "What was your nightmare, Goyle?" I asked.  
  
"Out in the desert ... following the trail of red biting-butterflies ... then the swarm ... I had it before, Malfoy - you remember I told you?" Goyle replied.  
  
"Yeah, I remember that one. You had to wear incontinence pants for a week, in your sleep, cause you'd wet yourself that night." I said, and Theo snorted with badly suppressed laughter. "Seriously, though - any strange voices that you didn't recognise from before?"  
  
"Yeah." Goyle answered, too daft to notice I'd just told Theo about his bedwetting problems from six years previously, "It said, 'Scared of this. Why don't you just kill yourself now? I'm going to take you over the edge and there's nothing you can do about it'."  
  
"This is getting creepy." I said, getting up and getting changed. "No way I'm going back to sleep, now."  
  
"Me neither." Theo noted, starting to get dressed, himself.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle followed suit. Goyle, muttering, "Why butterflies? Why couldn't it have been follow the bunnies?"  
  
* * *  
  
The four of us wandered out into the common room, at about the same time the four girls from our year emerged, also changed into normal robes, from the girls' corridor.  
  
"You had nightmares too?" Theo asked. All four of them nodded.  
  
"What were yours?" I asked.  
  
Blaise shifted uneasily, before saying, "Demonic bunnies, with fangs ... evil fuzz-balls, hippity-hopping all over my vulnerable flesh ... and a voice saying, 'hippity hoppity, hippity hoppity ... you like my bunnie-wunnies? I'll bring more next time'."  
  
"There's that voice, again." I muttered.  
  
Cat then spoke up, "I was tied down on a stone table, like a sacrifice alter ... my lips were sewn shut, and there were needles in my arms and neck ... the voice was almost singing, 'Can't even scream, can't even cry, you won't get away no matter what you try. Can't even shout, can't say a word, you're gonna die screaming and you won't be heard'."  
  
I looked to Pansy, "Pansy ... what was your nightmare?"  
  
She looked up at me, trembling, "Fire." she whispered.  
  
My jaw dropped, and my eyes widened, "Oh, Pansy." I whispered, and I immediately stepped forward and hugged her, in what I hoped was a comforting way.  
  
"It was all round me, like when it really happened, but you weren't there to save me this time." she whimpered, wrapping her arms around me and holding on like I was a lifeline.  
  
"You're safe now, Pansy. It was just a dream." I said soothingly, rubbing her back. When we had been small children, I had had a tree house in the Manor grounds. We had always played up there together. A stray spark of accidental magic had set the place on fire, and I had saved her life. She had been absolutely terrified that day. She's still afraid of fire, in all shapes and forms, and even refuses point-blank to use Floo Powder.  
  
"The v-voice." Pansy whimpered, "It said, 'I've brought you back to your worst experience. Fire pretty, tree bad. Won't you play here anymore, dear?'."  
  
I looked over Pansy's shoulder at Milli, "What about you, Milli?"  
  
"I was alone, in the dark ... sitting on my own, with nothing but shadows all around, and eyes watching me from the shadows. All different eyes - different colours and sizes and shapes, but all watching me, evilly. I kept hiding my face, cause after last year, I wondered what if one pair of eyes was the wrong pair to look into -"  
  
"Like a Basilisk?" Theo asked.  
  
Milli nodded, before continuing, "And the voice, like you guys all said, saying, 'I'm watching you. I don't need eyes to see your worst fears. I'll bring you back to this place again and again, until you scream and cry ... until you die'. Of course, I refused to degrade myself by crying - I have pride."  
  
"Of course you do. We all do." I said, still holding Pansy, protectively.  
  
Pansy sniffed, and rested her chin on my shoulder. I was going to have to decide when she had stopped being traumatised and when it simply became an excuse to hold me. I chose to leave that decision for a while, since I was grateful for someone I knew and felt safe with hugging me, too, at this point.  
  
"Worst fears, memories and nightmares." Theo muttered, "And it said to Milli that it didn't need eyes to see her fears."  
  
"Eyes." I said, suddenly, catching on to what Theo was implying, "Dementors don't have eyes."  
  
"You think one's strayed up to the school?" Blaise asked.  
  
"I think one has deliberately wandered up to the school - no straying - straying implies lack of intent." I replied coldly.  
  
"Our dormitory is right at the outer wall, at the end of the corridor." Theo noted.  
  
"Ours too." Milli said.  
  
"That could be why we got the nightmares, when no one else did." Crabbe said, surprisingly intelligent comment for him. I made a conscious check of his hair-colour - I do that every time he makes an intelligent remark, after the Polyjuice incident.  
  
"Or maybe they just didn't get them as badly as we did." I noted.  
  
"Someone should go tell a teacher - Dumbledore'll not be pleased if those soul-suckers are wandering onto the grounds again." Theo said. I shuddered slightly at the description he used for the Dementors. Pansy tightened her grip on me and I gently stroked her hair, trying to use the fact that I was comforting her to distract me from the nightmare I'd had myself. This was real - that had been a dream ... just a dream.  
  
"I'll go to Dumbledore." Theo volunteered, "Lupin actually sent me to the Headmaster's office, last term, so I think I know the password."  
  
"We'll go with you." I said, gently pushing Pansy away from me, but still holding her hands to indicate that I meant I wouldn't leave her alone. She nodded slightly, wiping her eyes.  
  
The three of us followed the secret passage to Snape's office, and from there, along a corridor to another passage up several rickety flights of stairs, "I hope you know where you're going, Theo." Pansy whispered.  
  
"I know." Theo replied calmly, "It's just opposite the exit from this stairwell, on the third floor."  
  
And so it was. The password turned out to be Sherbet Lemon. "Been that for twelve years, apparently ... so Lupin tells me." Theo noted as we ascended a moving spiral staircase. "What's the betting he knows we're coming?"  
  
"I wouldn't dare bet on that." I said nervously.  
  
Sure enough, though, Professor Dumbledore greeted us as we reached the top of the staircase. "Good morning, children. What brings you here at this hour?"  
  
"We think there's a Dementor hanging around near the castle - we all got nightmares - really bad ones." Theo said bluntly.  
  
Dumbledore frowned, obviously not pleased, though whether he was displeased because we had bothered him or because of the Dementor, it was impossible for me to tell at that moment. "What makes you so certain?" he asked.  
  
"We all heard voices in our dreams, saying they were our worst nightmares, memories or fears, and that it was to torment us and drive us over the edge - I think it was mocking us." I said coldly.  
  
Dumbledore nodded, "I see." he then started down the staircase, still speaking to us, as we followed him, "Please return to your dormitories - I will deal with the situation." As we were about to leave, towards the dungeons, he added, "Thank you for informing me of this."  
  
After we returned to the dormitory, none of us were brave enough to go back to sleep. Snape arrived at five in the morning to tell us that we had been right and to get some sleep, but we still stayed up ... much coffee was consumed by the Slytherin third-years, that morning.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 13 


	14. Ravenclaws and Firebolts

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
LenaLovely12: When I get GoF out depends entirely on how many reviews I get - hint hint.  
  
Logan: Um, the Dementor dreams weren't their worst fears, they were the fears most likely to drive them insane. Draco's worst fear is as the Boggart showed, Voldemort. Well, maybe whoever said it was "silvery stuff" didn't see it properly (I do remember, Harry heard a second-hand account of it).  
  
angelkas: The Dementor was not lurking in the hallway - the Dementor was outside the castle - both the dorm Draco sleeps in and the girls' dorm for the same year are at the outside wall of the castle, at the end of their respective corridors, close enough for the Dementor to affect them. As for Theo's dream, he'd had the same nightmare before - he said so himself.  
  
dragonsprincess: I think Theo was a bit preoccupied with his own nightmare to bother pestering Draco ... and I think he'll forget that Draco weaselled his way out of saying anything, what with the sleep-deprivation, and general chaos that is Theo's mind. Erm, Draco was in just as much danger as Pansy in that fire thing - he just managed to drag her out to safety at the same time as saving his own skin.  
  
Akuma-sama: Um, yeah, it is a well-used quote, isn't it? Yes, Theo/Luna is scary - that's why I'm doing it! And Theo vs Umbitch is precisely why I can't wait to get to OotP!! *whines* it's gonna be ages, I have to do the whole of GoF, but I will get there eventually.  
  
Starre: no ... regular coffee ... why on Earth would you ask that?  
  
Caz Malfoy: Oh, I love Dementors, I can't wait to see them in the third movie ... then again, I thought the Basilisk was cute.  
  
dstrbd child: Yeah, I based that off the song in that episode of Buffy.  
  
A couple of Quidditch matches, and Flint earns Draco his second ever detention.  
  
Chapter 14 - Ravenclaws and Firebolts  
  
That weekend, we had our first match against Ravenclaw.  
  
I spent the first half-hour of it engaging Cho Chang in an ethical and moral debate over the principals of what actually counted as cheating, while still looking out for the Snitch at the same time.  
  
Then, as the announcer declared that Ravenclaw were leading one hundred and sixty to twenty, I spotted the Snitch at the far end of the pitch, while looking over Cho's shoulder - she was looking in my direction and didn't see it. "You're right - I am a sneaky evil git." I muttered, in answer to her previous comment, and then before she could answer, I was flying for the Snitch at my top speed - she couldn't keep up. I caught it, and we won, 170-160 ... close call, but what counts is we won.  
  
"Didn't I mention, rotten in that list?" Cho asked me, as she caught up with me far too late.  
  
I held up the Snitch triumphantly, "You might have." I said, grinning.  
  
She held up one hand in defeat, "No need to rub it in my face." she replied calmly, "I'm not a sore loser like you can be."  
  
"That really hurt." I said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, face it, you're always moaning about Potter winning - it's almost like you care more about your rivalry with him than your real game-play." she said as we both flew in to land.  
  
"You're right." I admitted, "But I'm still going to beat him."  
  
"Whatever you say." she said coolly, waving her hand in a dismissive gesture that clearly told me she did not believe for a second that I could beat Potter.  
  
That was cold.  
  
* * *  
  
I was sitting in the common room, minding my own business, when, "Malfoy - I've got a plan." oh, no - Marcus Flint, and the words 'I've got a plan' ... never a good combination - it usually means someone is going to get hurt ... quite possibly me.  
  
"What might this plan be?" I asked, looking up from my Muggle Studies textbook to see what he wanted.  
  
"We let the Dementors into Potter's next game, tomorrow, see if he can't get himself killed this time." he announced.  
  
"Oh, yeah - smart move." I retorted sarcastically, "Why don't we book you a space in St Mungo's right now - you'll need it when they suck you dry for going near them."  
  
Flint visibly paled, "OK, then - why don't we ..." he paused as if thinking - it looked painful, and he failed to think of anything. "Well, have you got any better ideas?" he asked me, accusingly.  
  
"Potter's not got a real broom - I say we sit back and enjoy the show." I replied coolly.  
  
"He's got a new broom - rumour about the castle says it's good, but no one tells us what make." Flint replied in a dangerous note.  
  
I shrugged, "That's not my problem, until our match."  
  
"Oh, yes it is." Flint replied, "The league is close enough that this match will make a difference. We want him to lose this match as well."  
  
I shrugged again, not much caring - how could we make a difference if we weren't even playing?  
  
Crabbe suddenly spoke up from where he had been listening, "I have a cunning plan."  
  
Flint and I both looked at him - I consciously checked his hair-colour again, "That'll be a first." I said simply.  
  
Crabbe actually nodded in agreement with this statement, before continuing, "If we can't bring real Dementors to scare Potter, why not bring fake Dementors?"  
  
"Surprisingly logical, for who's talking." I muttered, still watching him, expecting him to turn into someone else at any moment.  
  
"And how do you propose we do that?" Flint asked.  
  
"I dunno ... dress up as Dementors ourselves?" Crabbe asked, losing all semblance of intelligence with that statement.  
  
"Sure, that's clever - let's all sign up for floor-scrubbing with Filch, for the rest of our school careers, right now and save all the trouble." I said sarcastically.  
  
Flint, however, waved at me to shut the hell up, "No, it's a good idea, your cronie's come up with. It might work, too."  
  
"You'll not catch me doing tha-"  
  
"No one will catch us - we'll be gone before they can stop us." Flint interrupted. I was much more sceptical ... still, I wanted to keep my place on the team, so I had no choice but to play along with this STUPID idea. Of course, any idea of Crabbe's can't be worth the air he inhaled to say it with.  
  
* * *  
  
The next morning, Potter arrived at the Gryffindor table escorted by half the boys in his house - they all had smug looks on their faces. I glared at him for all of five second before it hit me - I shook my head, blinked, and looked back - nope, still there - he was carrying as Firebolt!!!  
  
The git had a Firebolt!!!  
  
Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were all crowding round the Gryffindor table, effectively drooling. I couldn't quite believe it myself - maybe it just looked like a Firebolt. I had to see for myself.  
  
"You two." I said, twisting Goyle's ear to wake him from the slack-jawed daze he was in, by the mere presence of the Firebolt, "Follow me." Crabbe and least, didn't need physical violence to make him move - they followed as I walked quickly over to the Gryffindor table, stopping to get a good look at the broom, as Bighead Boy rushed past me heading for the Ravenclaw table. It really was a Firebolt. Damn! "Sure you can handle that broom, Potter?" I asked, stepping forward, so I was standing right behind him and his Weasley - I could have reached out and touched the Firebolt, if I'd tried, but I didn't want to touch anything of his.  
  
"Yeah, reckon so." Potter replied, looking round at me far too calmly.  
  
I smirked, not taking my eyes off the broomstick - I wasn't jealous, honestly - no - I'd get a better one next year. Who am I kidding? I really wanted to steal that Firebolt, right there and then, but there was the small detail that all the teachers in the school were watching. "Got plenty of special features, hasn't it? Shame it doesn't come with a parachute - in case you get too near a Dementor."  
  
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours, Malfoy. Then it could catch the Snitch for you." Potter replied. Why they found that funny, I don't know ... then again, they are Gryffindors - their idea of humour always did elude me.  
  
I returned to the Slytherin table, growling swear words, "It IS a bloody Firebolt. Lucky git." that's just the end of my rant - the rest needed to be censored.  
  
"Looks like it's definitely our little plan, then?" Flint asked.  
  
"Ha." I replied.  
  
"No wonder they didn't let us know what make of broom it was - they wanted to keep their secret weapon secret." Flint continued, almost to himself.  
  
"No duh." I mumbled, lashing out at him, in the fond hope of making him shut up.  
  
"Watch it - you'll give me a black eye." he snapped.  
  
"It might make you better looking, if it hides your face." I snarled.  
  
Theo chose this moment to comment, "See - that is why everyone thinks you're-" I kicked him under the table, "Owwwww! What'd you do that for?"  
  
"Because you were breathing again." I growled.  
  
* * *  
  
We were outside the Quidditch pitch, in the cool breeze, and weak sunlight, "This is a bad idea, Flint." I noted, watching as he strapped stilts to his ankles. Crabbe was doing the same.  
  
"Nonsense - this'll work perfectly - you'll see." Flint said smirking.  
  
I continued to glare at them, as Crabbe threw a cloak over himself, hiding his face completely. Flint did the same - at a distance, some people might be fooled, I guess. I then looked at Goyle, and back to the two 'masterminds' of this stupid plan. "It won't work."  
  
"Don't be such a pessimist, Draco - come on - hurry up - the game's already started." Flint said.  
  
Reluctantly, I climbed onto Goyle's shoulders, kicking him when he grabbed my legs too tightly, and then threw the cloak on - I felt like a prat. "This is a bad idea." I repeated, "And you, Goyle, smell like a troll."  
  
"Thanks." Goyle replied. I glared at Flint - this was all his fault.  
  
Flint then turned and led the way onto the pitch - the Two Twits trooped after him, bringing me along for the ride ... that's not funny - don't laugh. I had to keep kicking Goyle in the sides, by way of giving him directions, since he couldn't see where he was going. I looked up to see the two Seekers were both crossing the sky very fast. "They're already after the Snitch - we're too late." I said quietly, as Flint also looked up, "I told you this wouldn't work."  
  
"He's not won yet." Flint replied.  
  
At that point, Cho Chang spotted us, letting out a barely-audible-at-this-distance scream, which caught Potter's attention - Potter didn't even stop for breath - he pulled a wand out and sent a curse at us - something silvery-white, glowing - it looked like a horse or a stag or something like that. "RUN!" I shouted - Goyle promptly fell over. Crabbe panicked and tripped over us, and Flint fell over the hem of the cloak he was wearing.  
  
I had said that this wouldn't work, hadn't I?  
  
"Damn you! Damn all three of you to the seventh circle of hell!" I yelled.  
  
"It was Crabbe's idea." Flint replied.  
  
"No - it's your fault, you prat." I replied. I kicked Goyle a few times, for good measure, while trying to remove myself from the tangle of bodies and robes that really did smell like a pair of trolls.  
  
"What an outrage!" oh, that's all I need - Professor McGonnaFlip's overly-stern voice was yelling at us, "I would have thought even you were above such nonsense, Mr Malfoy! Never have I seen such an unworthy trick! A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor Seeker! Detention for all of you, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Professor Dumbledore about this, make no mistake! Ah, here he comes now!" and sure enough she was joined by Professor Dumbledore.  
  
Giving up entirely, on all reasonable attempts to get out of the damnable robe, I drew my wand and cast a severing charm on the sleeves, kicking my way away from Goyle, and standing up, wincing in pain from where Goyle's head had hit me - OUCH. "I'm never going to live this down, am I?" I asked.  
  
"No, you most likely won't." Flint muttered.  
  
"I told you it was a stupid idea." I repeated for the nth time.  
  
McGonagall was fuming. Dumbledore watched me with interest, "Why did you do this, Mr Malfoy?" he asked, assuming I was the ringleader of this stunt.  
  
"It was Flint's idea. I told him it was stupid." I replied.  
  
"And yet, you went along with such a nefarious scheme?" McGonagall asked.  
  
"Nefarious schemes, I wouldn't have objected to - this was just daft." I answered, "But I hardly had a choice -" at this I turned to Flint, "Mon Capitan." [A/N: The way Draco said that - think the way Q refers to Captain Picard in STTNG.]  
  
Flint had the good sense to look sorry for himself.  
  
At least we got away with as little punishment as we did. I was loath to do another detention, after the last one I'd experienced, but what choice did I have?  
  
* * *  
  
I heard that Black got into the castle that night. I heard this because Weasley-the-sidekick wouldn't stop telling everyone who'd listen how his terrified screaming had scared the escaped homicidal maniac away ... that and Longbottom got a Howler for being daft enough to lose the passwords to the Gryffindor common room. Wish I'd thought of nicking the passwords from Longbottom ... too late now - even he wouldn't make that mistake twice.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 14 


	15. Detention, Take Two

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Ice Angel: I'm going as fast as I can, honest! And thanks for telling me about the slip-up, I fixed it as soon as you told me.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Ok. You know, that was one of the harder scenes to write, because I had to palm the blame off on someone other than Draco.  
  
Logan: Why d'you feel stupid? You can't make an idiot of yourself in front of my ... I'm a better idiot than anyone!  
  
angelkas: Um, I uploaded that chapter on a Monday. And this is Tursday, so assuming you read it today, this day won't suck too badly, will it? Hmm ... I don't know how the Daft Duo have got away without being diagnosed with a mental disorder, to be honest. Flint is part-troll - it implied so in PS/SS, in the real books "Harry thought Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him" - so that's why he's so stupid (although still not as bad as Daft and Dafter). And the name McGonnaflip was "borrowed" (stolen, with permission) from Akuma-sama's The Snake Who Lived. Errors? Where?  
  
dragonsprincess: Draco's detention is in this chapter. It was I who shifted the blame onto Flint - I figured the oldest student in the group causing the trouble should be genuinely to blame ... and I don't like Flint much, anyway ^_^. And Black's in this chapter, too ... and yes, Draco and Cat are second cousins ... Sirius and Narcissa are first cousins, so yeah.  
  
fcuking cathy: Thank you.  
  
Exactly what that detention implied ... can we say it again: awwwwwww, poor ickle Dwaco.  
  
Chapter 15 - Detention, Take Two  
  
You are going to laugh at me when I tell you this ... my detention was outdoors again. With Hagrid ... again.  
  
"You want me to WHAT?!?" I asked.  
  
"Yeh heard me. Yeh're ter clear out Buckbeak's pen. Don' worry - he's tied up on the far fence - yeh're not ter go near 'im." the gamekeeper replied.  
  
I eyed the Hippogriff nervously. It was watching me evilly.  
  
"But-" I started to protest, but I was interrupted.  
  
"Would yeh rather go into the Forest again?" Hagrid asked. I immediately shook my head. "Then yeh'll be clearin' out Buckbeak's pen." he repeated. Damn.  
  
It was hard work - Buckbeak may not be a small creature, but I was surprised at the amount of crap he seemed to have produced. And to add to that, the creature himself was staring at me the whole time, like he thought I belonged with the pile of dead ferrets he was currently mutilating with his beak. I shuddered as I thought that, returning to the task at hand - as soon as I finished this, I could go - it wasn't as bad as searching the Forbidden Forest for evil homicidal maniacs ... which Hagrid could quite easily have made me do, considering who was running around the castle grounds somewhere.  
  
I didn't know why they bothered getting me to do this now - the Hippogriff was as good as dead - why not wait till after its execution to clean out its pen?  
  
When I had finished, I looked around, seeing Hagrid had disappeared ... that damned Hippogriff was still watching me. "What?" I asked it. It continued to stare. "Stop looking at me like that. Stop it." it still stared. "What? You want me to apologise? All I did was insult you - it's in my nature to insult things ... I'm the one who's been scarred for life." I said, holding up my arm, as if that made a point. Still it stared at me, "O.K. - you're not ugly." I admitted. It tilted its head to one side, regarding me with an evaluating look, now. "That's as good as you're going to get - I don't say the 's' word." It nodded curtly, and proceeded to pretend I wasn't there ... I guess that was as good as I was going to get.  
  
Instead of heading back to the castle, after my detention, I had some time before curfew, so I spent this time by wandering down to the lake. I washed my hands in the shallow waters of the edge of the lake, and just sat there looking out over the clear blue water, as the giant squid waved it tentacles above the surface. It was very picturesque.  
  
Suddenly, I sensed a presence behind me - I tensed, hand moving slowly for my wand. Footsteps - but not human - an animal. I turned round drawing my wand, and pointing it at ... it was the black dog. "Oh, it's you." I said, lowering my defensive stance, "You're the stray that Theo fed all his cauldron cakes to, aren't you?" It nodded, "You seem very smart. You must be pretty intelligent to have gotten in here - the Dementors wouldn't let anything in or out, even an animal like you. How'd you get in, anyway?"  
  
It backed away and suddenly rolled onto its back, as if asking for its tummy rubbed, possibly thinking it could distract me from my question. Oh, no. That was too much.  
  
"Theo was right ... there is a connection." I muttered to myself, "Who are you?" I asked it. It stood up again, now backing away ... suddenly, it turned tail and ran. I followed, my curiosity getting the better of me. I realised too late that it had led me into the edge of the Forbidden Forest.  
  
When it realised I had followed it this far, it suddenly stopped and turned around, growling. I stopped too, watching it carefully. I still had my wand out, and pointed it at the dog. The dog looked at the wand for a minute, stopping its growling. It then slowly stepped forward, giving the sort of innocent look that only a canine can. As it reached my side, and sniffed my free hand tentatively, it let out another low growl, but before I could react, it wasn't there anymore - instead, a human figure stood in its place, grabbing my wand from me, and pointing the newly acquired weapon at me. I looked up at him, knowing who he was before I saw his face - Sirius Black.  
  
I took a few steps back, stumbling over a tree root, and landing on my butt. "S-Sirius Black." I stammered.  
  
He nodded, "And you smell like a Malfoy." he noted, voice hoarse and obviously disused.  
  
It was my turn to nod, "What do you want with me?"  
  
"You asked who I was ... why ask a dog who it is?" he asked.  
  
"I thought it was you ... I don't believe in coincidences, and you managed to get inside the castle grounds - so did the dog. What're the odds, without your now-obvious Animagism?"  
  
"Smart boy." Black replied, "Now, tell me - and answer honestly, no matter what answer you expect me to want to hear - which side are you on? Voldemort's or Harry Potter's?"  
  
"Neither ... the Dark Lord is a butt-ugly evil prick, and Potter's a good-goody attention-stealing brat." I answered - may as well tell the truth - he did tell me to answer honestly. Slowly, I stood up again, holding up my hands in a gesture of surrender.  
  
"Choose a side." Black said coldly, "Dark or light?"  
  
"I'd try towards light, if I had the choice ... but if given a direct order on pain of death, I would go to dark."  
  
Black smiled, "A Malfoy being honest, who'd have thought ... and still a diplomatic answer if I ever heard one. I need your help. I need you to locate some- someTHING for me."  
  
"I thought you were out to get Potter?"  
  
"That's the popular theory, isn't it? It's a crock of shit. I'm out for murder, yes, but not Harry's."  
  
"Who, then? Ronald Weasley?" I asked hopefully.  
  
"The murder I was convicted of - the rat faked his own death."  
  
"Clever ... memo to me: fake own death if snake-face ever feels the need to put a price on my head."  
  
Black laughed, "Very funny, boy. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart."  
  
"Huh? For what?"  
  
"For making me laugh for the first time in twelve years." he replied, the laughter fading as if it had never been there.  
  
"Last time being when you were carted off to Azkaban ... tell me, escapee-of-the-insanitarium, why would you be breaking into the Gryffindor common rooms - twice - if you're not after Potter?"  
  
"Watch it, Malfoy - I may know what it's like to be a smart-arse - used to enjoy it greatly - but I'm in no mood to put up with one right now." Black said coldly, "I was looking for my intended victim - he was, until recently, in the care of the Weasley boy you mentioned."  
  
"Hold on a second - when you called him a rat ... did you mean it literally?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Scabbers ... Hermione's cat's been out for his blood all year - if the row I overheard is anything to go by, he's already dead." I informed him, considering for the moment, that even if he is stark-raving bonkers, I ought to play along with his delusions.  
  
"He faked that, too - the cat told me so."  
  
"The cat told you ... riiiiight."  
  
"Don't patronise me, Malfoy." Black growled, sounding almost like the dog he could become. "I know it sounds farfetched, but it's the truth." either he was a better liar than my father - highly likely, considering Father had said that even he had been taken in - or he was telling the truth, in which case what Father had taken as convincing lies were actually genuine loyalty to the side of light.  
  
I chose to be sceptical, "So what do you want me to do?"  
  
"Look for the rat ... it must be alive, somewhere - find it and bring it to me. The rat must die." he replied.  
  
"Surely it would be more logical to turn him in, if he really is alive. Then you'd not be a murderer ... just a traitor."  
  
"I am not a traitor - the rat is!" he all-but-yelled - he couldn't yell properly, because his voice was so far-gone that it just wouldn't go that loud. "And don't call me Shirley." he added, seemingly instinctively.  
  
"Right - give me my wand back, and I'll not try to turn you in ... I'll keep an eye out for Scabbers' ghost, too." I said, in the placating tone one uses to speak to unstable people.  
  
Sceptically, he gave me back my wand, and I pocketed it immediately, to prove I wasn't going to use it on him. Suddenly, the dog stood before me, instead of the man, and then it ran off into the Forest - I ran the other way, to the safety of the lake-side. I sat there for some time, thinking. Eventually, I resolved myself to pretend that hadn't just happened - if I found the anorexic rodent, I would return it to its owner ... not before testing it's authenticity as a rat, but only to be on the safe side - I didn't really believe Black had been telling the truth. Either way, I wouldn't go out of my way for him.  
  
Still, a little doubt lingered in my mind as I walked up to the castle - I had told him I would fight for the side of light, given the choice, and he had taken that as a good answer - what real servant of the Dark Lord would do that? And who among snake-face's ranks is brave enough to say his name?  
  
* * *  
  
As soon as I returned to the common room, I located Cat and Theo, talking with Milli about gods know what - I approached them, "Theo - Cat - need to talk - important." I said simply, before turning and making a beeline for the boys' dorm - Crabbe and Goyle were absent - good. Cat and Theo both seated themselves on Theo's bed, watching me.  
  
"Enjoy detention, Draco?" Theo asked.  
  
"Yes - shovelling Hippogriff shit is really my idea of fun, Theo." I said, sarcastically, "That's not the point. The point is, your pet stray that we met at the Shrieking Shack is actually Sirius Black."  
  
"Hey - that rhymes!" Theo said.  
  
Cat had gone very pale, "You've met him?" she asked.  
  
"Yes, I've met him." I said.  
  
"Where?" she asked.  
  
"Near the Forbidden Forest." I replied.  
  
"You went down to the Forbidden Forest?" Theo asked sceptically.  
  
"Yes." I replied.  
  
"So, he can't really be that bad, if he's our stray, can he?" Theo asked.  
  
"Well, he is totally insane ... he thinks that he's innocent, and Weasley's pet rat is evil." I waved my index finger around my ear a few times, "Nut case, and not in the good way that you are, Theo."  
  
Cat was giving me rabbit-in-headlights looks at this, "Draco ... what did he say, exactly? He didn't mention me, did he?" she asked.  
  
"No - not a word about you, Cat ... he was trying to convince me that he hadn't been trying to kill Potter, all those times he tried to break into the Gryffindor Tower with a knife ... not that I care much about Potter's other enemies ... but he seemed to sincerely believe what he was saying." I noted.  
  
"That's bizarre - you think he's really gone that mad?" Theo asked.  
  
"Could have ... if either of you find the rat that bit Goyle, bring him to me ... I have vengeance to reek on it, anyway, but I'd rather check to be safe."  
  
"Do you think he was telling the truth?" Cat asked, mystified.  
  
"I think he thinks he was telling the truth." I replied, wholeheartedly believing the man was totally unhinged ... Azkaban will do that to you.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 15 


	16. Mudbloods And Mud

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
fcuking cathy: Sorry, this is just the way I do this ... you can skim over the answers-to-reviewers if you don't want to read them ... I don't want to delude anyone into thinking my teeny tiny chapters are any longer than they really are. And I've already written as far as GoF ch5, as I type this to you now. Sorry.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Yes, he does know about Sirius ... although he doesn't know about Andromeda or Nymphadora.  
  
dragonsprincess: Yes, he did not like that detention at all. And yes, he knows he's related to Sirius.  
  
angelkas: I enjoy conversations like that one, too ... that's why I write them. And thank you for the compliment to Theo.  
  
Starre: In ways you refuse to mention? Can you at least drop hints? Please *puppy-dog eyes*?  
  
Not the hair! Not the hair! His beautiful hair!  
  
Chapter 16 - Mudbloods ... And Mud  
  
That Saturday was another Hogsmeade trip - I watched as Potter ran up the stairs, away from the rest of us, as we were leaving for Hogsmeade ... still afraid of the Dementors. Some Gryffindor he is ... not that I care, but it's a good insult for him. The best way to insult a Gryffindor is to call them a coward.  
  
Theo, Crabbe, Goyle, and I all went down to Hogsmeade together - Pansy and the other three Slytherin girls were going on a 'shopping spree' - shudder - so we were rid of them for now.  
  
"Think the Shrieking Shack's got some sort of secret entrance?" Theo asked.  
  
"Maybe - want to take a closer look at it, don't we?" I replied. Crabbe and Goyle nodded dumbly.  
  
"Yeah - want a drink first, though - it's freezin'." Theo said, indicating the Three Broomsticks.  
  
I nodded, and the four of us entered the building - it was so much warmer inside, even without the Butterbeer we drank. We claimed a table in the corner, where I had a clear view of half the room, and we were pretty much out of sight from everyone else's point of view. Crabbe and Goyle were muttering to each other the whole time, about something, and then they turned to me in unison, "We want to go to Zonko's." Crabbe said.  
  
"Sure - go - we'll catch up to you." I said, waving dismissively to them.  
  
"If you can find your way there." Theo added jokingly. The two twits then left - up to no good, I'm sure of it - though I doubt they'll do well with whatever they're plotting. Although that laughing potion in the Gryffindor drinks went well in first year, they had help with that.  
  
I turned to Theo, smirking, "Good riddance - they were draining my IQ, just by being there." I said.  
  
"Yeah - they lower the intelligence of the whole room, when they walk in." Theo concurred.  
  
"Who does?" a voice asked, from beside our table asked - Hermione was standing there, watching us.  
  
"Crabbe and Goyle." Theo stated flatly, "Who'd you think we were talking about? The Weasleys?"  
  
"I wouldn't put that past you two." she said, sitting herself opposite the two of us.  
  
"Speaking of Weasleys - where is your little boyfriend, anyway? I know Potter's up in the castle, but I mean the other one." I asked.  
  
She visibly blushed when I called him her boyfriend. That reaction usually means something. Damn. "He's not talking to me, because he thinks Crookshanks killed his rat." she mumbled, looking at the table, and trying not to look upset.  
  
Theo gave me an odd conspiratorial look, and I kicked him violently, under the table, "Does he have any proof of that?" I asked.  
  
"Just blood on a bed sheet, and cat hair in his room - no trace left of Scabbers ... he could easily have been bitten and made a run for it, couldn't he?" she asked, looking at me plaintively, effectively begging for me to agree with her.  
  
"Yeah ... could have." I said, thinking about it - nah, it wasn't possible, was it?  
  
"Yeah - rats fake their own deaths all the time." Theo said sarcastically, earning himself another kick under the table from me, for that remark.  
  
Hermione cringed, "You're right." she said miserably, referring to Theo's implication that she was desperately grasping at straws and Weasley really would never talk to her again.  
  
"You know," I said, trying to sound vaguely comforting, "All you need to do is say the 's' word to him - the one I refuse to say, on principle, but I'm sure a good little Gryffindor like you can say it?"  
  
"Yeah." she said, vaguely, "But that's not why I'm here - I wanted to ask you something, Malfoy."  
  
"Yes, what might that be?" I asked, kind of wishing she'd call me 'Draco', but not wanting to ask her to do so, in case I made myself look like an idiot.  
  
"Can you do anything about Buckbeak?" she asked.  
  
"Why the hell would I want to? It attacked me." I snapped.  
  
"It was your own fault and you know it!" she replied.  
  
"So? It's in my nature to insult people ... is that not a well-documented fact by now?" I asked.  
  
She looked at Theo, and then back to me, "I think you'd suit a Jarvey better than a ferret." she said smugly, "But that is not the point. Can't you put in a word, at least let the animal off without a death-sentence. He's not dangerous to anyone who is POLITE to him ... if you know the meaning of THAT word."  
  
"Ouch." I said sarcastically, feigning injury at her remark. Theo was sniggering at the Jarvey comment. "Look, Granger." I deliberately used her last name, as she had used mine, "I have no say in this any more - my father is pushing for an execution, and that's what he's going to get. I can't stop what I've already put in motion."  
  
"Yes you can ... if you wanted to." she said, almost pouting.  
  
"No ... I can't. Not without getting myself in serious trouble, in the process." I replied.  
  
"What sort of trouble?" she asked.  
  
"The sort where I have to explain WHY I want to go back on my vengeance ... and that would involve explaining about being friends with you ... that would cost me, a price I'm not willing to pay." I answered coldly.  
  
"Why not?" she asked.  
  
"Because I'm not suicidal."  
  
Theo blanched, "Surely he'd not hurt you for ... wait, this is Lucius Malfoy we're talking about - forget it." he said.  
  
"Exactly ... and don't call me Shirley." I replied, quoting Sirius Black's joke.  
  
Hermione smirked at my joke, "Very funny, Malfoy." she said, "But there must be something you can-"  
  
"No - I would help you if I could - the Hippogriff seems to have forgiven me for my insult, but I can't go back on what I asked my father to have done to it ... it's too late, now." I said, dropping my mask for her, letting her see the genuine apology in my eyes.  
  
She sighed deeply, "I can't say I didn't try." she said, almost to herself, as she stood up, "I have to go - I need to get back to the castle early, to get my homework all finished."  
  
"Hey - what's the answer to question ten in the Muggle Studies homework?" Theo asked.  
  
"What? The one about the telephone system?" I asked, "That's easy, the answer is 'the operator'." I turned to Hermione, giving her a look that asked 'isn't that right?'  
  
She nodded, smiling, "Yep. That's right." she said, "Now, I have to go." and with that she turned and ran off.  
  
* * *  
  
Minutes after Hermione had left, Theo and I then went to find Crabbe and Goyle. We found them in Zonko's, having bought something that was now wrapped in brown paper, and Crabbe was even as we appeared, putting away in his pocket. "What's that?" I asked.  
  
"A project." Crabbe said evasively. He was capable of being evasive ... I checked his hair-colour, again ... he must be growing some brain cells, finally.  
  
"Whatever." I said, shrugging.  
  
"Hey - I need to go to Honeydukes ... I'm running out of lollipops." Theo said, looking at me.  
  
"You go - I want to see if good old-fashioned brute-force -" I nodded at Crabbe and Goyle, "- can get us into the Shrieking Shack." I replied.  
  
Theo nodded, "Sure - tell me what you find."  
  
And so I led daft and not-so-daft-apparently, up the hill towards the offending building ... I say offending because it wouldn't let me in last time - it'd get beat up pretty badly if it persisted in not letting me in.  
  
Crabbe actually made an intelligent question, as we walked up the slope, "So what's happening about that bird-thingy that clawed you?" he asked.  
  
"The Hippogriff, you mean?" I asked ... he nodded. "The whole thing is fixed - no way they could win. Father has the whole Committee eating out of his hand ... and the executioner's an old friend of his. I should have an owl from Father any time now. He had to go to the hearing to tell them about my arm ... about how I couldn't use it for three months ..."  
  
The idiots sniggered stupidly - they may be practically brainless, but the fact that I smacked them both around the head more than once, with my supposedly 'damaged' arm was enough for even them to realise I had been faking it.  
  
"I really wish I could hear that great hairy moron trying to defend himself ... 'there's no 'arm in 'im, 'onest -' ... that Hippogriff's as good as dead. -"  
  
I stopped as we reached the top of the hill and I spotted the beacon of red hair that could only be a Weasley - Potter's pet Weasley, at that. Defenceless, without his hero to protect him. I smirked viciously. Almost too easy ... not that that would ever stop me.  
  
"What are you doing here, Weasley?" I asked, looking up at the Shrieking Shack, "Suppose you'd love to live here, wouldn't you, Weasley? Dreaming about having your own bedroom? I heard your family all sleep in one room - is that true?" Weasley looked like he wanted to lunge at me, and I vaguely wondered why he hadn't yet. He must need some more provocation. "We were just discussing your friend Hagrid. Just trying to imagine what he's saying to the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. D'you think he'll cry when they cut off his Hippogriff's -"  
  
I stopped there because I was suddenly hit from behind with what, when I reached up to my hair to find out what it was, turned out to be mud ... I will repeat for emphasis - it was in my HAIR!!!  
  
"What the -?" I turned round, looking for the source of the flying mud ... there was no one there. "What was that? Who did that?" I asked, looking for someone to order my bodyguards to attack.  
  
Weasley was falling over himself with laughter, "Very haunting up here, isn't it?" he managed to ask, between hysterics ... at least someone thought this was funny - he'd not be laughing when we were done with him, that's for sure.  
  
I continued to look around, for any sign of movement, now, not just the human kind. Then another splatter of mud, this time particularly foul-smelling stuff, was thrown in our direction, from thin air. I had seen it floating up and throwing itself at us. Crabbe and Goyle got the worst of it this time, although some of it hit my face. "It came from over there!" I snapped at my cronies, pointing to where I had seen it.  
  
Crabbe started forward, looking like a zombie with his arms out in front of him like that, only to be hit from behind with a stick. He whirled round and turned on Weasley. Seconds later he tripped, falling flat on his face.  
  
At exactly the same time, I saw what had to be my imagination ... Potter's head, floating in mid-air. I stared for a moment, then realised this was actually what I was seeing.  
  
I yelled in anger, then turned and ran back to the castle - if I could get there in time to warn someone that he was out of bounds, then maybe he would get expelled. That would be good.  
  
I ran as fast as I could, hearing the pea brained pair running behind me. I bolted past the Dementors, who barely gave me a second glance, although it must have taken Crabbe and Goyle some time to persuade them that they had a right to be there since they were nowhere to be seen as I re-entered the castle building, still wiping mud out of my hair.  
  
Mud ... in hair ... bad ... very bad.  
  
How? How had Potter's head managed to appear in thin air, at the Shrieking Shack? And he had thrown things at me, apparently out of nowhere. He had to have been invisible. An Invisibility Cloak? Yes, that would be the most logical explanation ... other invisibility spells wouldn't have failed like that (for example - Invisibility Potion always starts with feet reappearing first).  
  
I ran down to the dungeons, not pausing for breath, until I came to Snape's office and knocked frantically.  
  
"Who is it?" Snape's ominous voice asked.  
  
"It's ... me ... sir." I panted.  
  
The door opened and Snape looked at me, wrinkling his nose in disgust, at the smell. "What happened to you, Mr Malfoy?" he asked.  
  
"Potter ... he was ... at Hogsmeade ... looked like ... he had ... an Invisibility Cloak, sir." I said, as quickly as my lack of breath would allow.  
  
"How could you tell by looking, at that rate?" he asked sceptically.  
  
"He threw mud at us, sir." I took another deep breath before continuing, "And then the cloak slipped and I saw his face. It was definitely him, sir."  
  
"Right. Thank you, Mr Malfoy." he said, turning and heading up the stairs, "You go back to your common room, and clean yourself up - I will go up to Gryffindor Tower and see if Mr Potter is absent."  
  
As Snape disappeared around a corner, I muttered to thin air, "Oh, he will be. He will be."  
  
I made it back to the Slytherin common room, and right the way into the showers, without being spotted by any of the first-or-second years that were hanging around. And I made a mental note to pester Father into buying me an Invisibility Cloak - that sort of thing could come in very useful.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 16 


	17. Hermione's Revenge

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Caz Malfoy: What do you mean, you wonder if he really does?  
  
angelkas: Yes, Crabbe with a brain is a scary thought, isn't it - we don't want him thinking for himself too much, do we? Draco is sure he's not gay ... the plot-bunnies have other ideas, but basically, not gay ... just a pretty-boy. I don't think that's the right word ... maybe the word you're looking for is bisexual?  
  
dragonsprincess: *files that bunny in the "probably" drawer* thank you.  
  
duochang97: You think they're IC? Yay! I take that as a better compliment that "good story" or "I like this chapter" - much better - thank you. Although, there is reason to the password thing ... it was set the day after Harry was dumped on the Dursleys, when Dumbledore was eating a bag of Muggle sweets (Sherbet Lemons) ... and when three Slytherins got past that password in the middle of the night, he decided it might be a good idea to change it ... make sense now? I agree with you about Sirius ... he looks better in my imagination than in the photos I've seen of his actor in costume *dramatic sigh*.  
  
Sorry this chapter is so short. Well, that's a slap in the face, isn't it?  
  
Chapter 17 - Hermione's Revenge  
  
I got a letter from Father that very evening, telling me that he had 'arranged for the Hippogriff's execution' ... in other words, he blackmailed the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures. Walden Macnair was to be the executioner ... well, he does enjoying killing things, so I'm not in the least surprised. Why the hell do I feel this sick sort of feeling in the pit of my stomach ... like I shouldn't have done this? Is this what it's like to feel guilty?  
  
I showed Crabbe and Goyle the letter, and we all laughed at the gamekeeper's misfortune. Neither of them was bright enough to pick up the insincerity in my laughter. Poor Buckbeak. Not that I give a damn about Hagrid's feelings, but the Hippogriff was just defending its pride - I would have attacked someone for insulting me, if I had been in its position.  
  
* * *  
  
After Care of Magical Creatures class, later that week, Crabbe, Goyle and I were waiting just inside the main doors, for Theo to catch up when we overheard the Terrible Trio talking to the incompetent teacher ... he was whining about his beloved Hippogriff. I vaguely wondered exactly how close his relationship to the creature was, but shoved that thought away as quickly as humanly possible.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle were sniggering inanely, and I even saw Theo smirking, behind the Terrible Trio, as the great oaf ran off like an overgrown crybaby. Blaise, Cat and Milli had already wandered off, but Pansy was watching me intently, as I started one of my usual Gryffindor-baiting routines.  
  
"Look at him blubber!" I said loudly, "Have you ever seen anything quite as pathetic? And he's supposed to be our teacher!"  
  
I didn't get a chance to continue this approach, however, because Hermione slapped me across the face, with surprising strength. I stumbled backwards and stared at her in shock.  
  
She hit me?!  
  
She ... hit ... me?!  
  
She raised her hand to hit me again, and the two twits didn't even make a move to try to stop her. "Don't you DARE call Hagrid pathetic, you foul - you evil -"  
  
Weasley tried weakly to calm down his wannabie-girlfriend, but she was having none of it, shrugging him off and pointing her wand at me. I stared at her with disbelief, taking a step back ... I would not have been surprised if she had tried to hex me. I nodded to the two twits, "C'mon." and beckoned them towards the dungeons - they followed obediently, if a little shell-shocked.  
  
Pansy and Theo caught up with me moments later, "That bitch!" Pansy shrieked indignantly, "How dare she even touch you, let alone hit you like that!"  
  
"Calm down, Pansy." I said soothingly, "I will get my revenge, don't worry." but I only said it to shut her up - I had no intention of hurting Hermione ... although I did intend to confront her.  
  
Placated, Pansy trotted off to her Latin class, and I was accompanied by Theo and the Brainless Boys (that sounds like a band name, doesn't it?), up to our Muggle Studies class.  
  
Now that was a tense lesson - Hermione kept glaring at us, the whole time. I avoided her gaze, quite studiously.  
  
Theo, meanwhile, leaned over and spoke to Hermione, "Hey, Granger ... way to go ... I think Draco's still in shock." he muttered. I whacked him in the head, and then tried to act like they both weren't there.  
  
After class ended, and Daft and Dafter had gone off to lunch, she confronted me again, hissing angrily, "How can you be such a heartless prat?"  
  
"It takes practice." I replied, trying to sound cool, and also trying not to look like I was a bit afraid of her now (which I really was, but I was trying not to look like it).  
  
"I thought you had some semblance of decency?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah, but your boyfriends and my bodyguards were there ... and like I'm going to be nice to that freak, at the best of times - he's just as mean to me as I am to him." I said, on the defensive.  
  
"He's not in any condition to take insults like that!" she snapped, "And it's all your fault, so unless you want another slap, you'll apologies to him, right now!"  
  
I smirked and held my arms out to the side, "I don't do the 's' word, so you're going to have to hit me again." I said.  
  
She made an angry growling noise, then threw up her hands, "You're impossible!" and with that she turned and stalked off down the corridor.  
  
"She's stressed." Theo muttered.  
  
"And you would recognise the symptoms, how?" I asked.  
  
"Shut up." he muttered, "You really do manage to piss off everyone around you, don't you?"  
  
"It's a talent."  
  
* * *  
  
Our Hufflepuff game was so easy, it's hardly worth mentioning - we flattened them.  
  
* * *  
  
Over the Easter holidays, I couldn't even find time to insult Potter and his gang ... homework piled up like nobody's business. Even I, one of the top students in our year, was having trouble. That was nothing to Hermione, though - Theo had been right - she really was stressed - overwork, no doubt.  
  
I had heard that she was attending Latin, Muggle Studies and Arithmancy, all at the same time, and taking Ancient Runes at the same time as the other Gryffindors had Defence class.  
  
Of course, this was all through the spy-network that is the Slytherin girls - I never confronted her myself. Not after that encounter after Care of Magical Creatures ... I felt too guilty ... which was totally wrong, because Malfoys aren't supposed to know what guilt feels like, so I avoided the source of the problem, instead.  
  
It's not my fault ... I was going for getting Hagrid fired, not getting the Hippogriff executed ... Father just took it to the extreme.  
  
* * *  
  
"We want to sabotage the match - we need to get that Seeker and/or his Firebolt out of commission!" Flint announced as he barged into the common room, in one hell of a foul mood.  
  
"Oh, yes, you saw how well that worked last time, Flint." I replied coldly.  
  
"Well, this time, you come up with a plan ... and be a bit more subtle!" Flint snapped.  
  
"You make it sound like that last fiasco was my fault!" I snapped.  
  
"Well, it would have worked if you'd not kept the rest of us waiting." Flint snarled.  
  
"You know damned well that plan was doomed from the start, now stop trying to palm the blame off on me!" I all-but-yelled.  
  
"Listen, you rotten little spoilt brat!" he yelled, "Your position on the team depends entirely on whether or not you beat Potter in this next match! So I suggest you find a way to ensure that you win."  
  
I glared at him, speechless. He was actually considering kicking me off the team! "You know Father won't like it if you kick me off the team." I noted.  
  
"I don't care - I'm sure he'd like it less if his son proves how unfit for the team he is!" Flint snapped at me.  
  
"You're a rotten git!" I snapped.  
  
"Thank you." he replied, nodding and leaving the room. Damn him.  
  
I stalked into my dormitory to find Crabbe and Goyle very quickly trying to conceal something in a non-descript box, under Crabbe's bed. "You two doing anything?" I asked casually.  
  
"No, no." Goyle said in a blatant lie.  
  
"Nothing." Crabbe added in a slightly more efficient lie, but it was still obvious.  
  
I chose to ignore the fact I knew they were lying, "Good. I've got a job for you. Take out Potter, and make it look like an accident." then, considering their blatant stupidity, I added, "And make sure no one else sees you."  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 17 


	18. The Quidditch Final

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
LenaLovely12: Yes, he is a delightful child, isn't he? Yes, it's a good scene, isn't it?  
  
Caz Malfoy: I've seen a pic of Hermione threatening Draco in the movie. It looks cool. It's my fav part in the book too.  
  
fcuking cathy: Well, Sirius doesn't know about Cat, and it's likely to stay that way ... but I haven't got that far yet so I don't know how it'll go yet. And when did Cat get weird dreams?  
  
Akuma-sama: *giggling at that scene you wrote in the review* oh, that'd have been good. Now see how I wrote it.  
  
dragonsprincess: hehehe - glad you like.  
  
Exodia Himself: Well, it seemed obvious to my twisted mind that someone had to suggest that about the Hippogriff.  
  
And here's the low point of Draco's Quidditch career.  
  
Chapter 18 - The Quidditch Final  
  
"You two are totally incompetent!" I yelled, "Are you telling me you didn't once get an opportunity to get him?"  
  
"The rest of his house are always around, trying to keep him safe." Crabbe said, while Goyle nodded in agreement.  
  
"You are a pair of useless bloody morons!" I snapped.  
  
"Thank you." Goyle said.  
  
"That was NOT a compliment!!!" I yelled, getting seriously pissed off with these two.  
  
"Oh." was the dumb response I received.  
  
"Oh, piss off!" I snapped, storming out of the dormitory. I vaguely heard Crabbe asking which way 'off' was.  
  
I stalked up to the Great Hall in one hell of a foul mood - anyone who was stupid enough to get in my way got yelled at, or physically attacked. Crabbe and Goyle are useless ... hired help is incompetent ... if you want a homicide done right, do it yourself - I should have learned that in first year.  
  
My anger was slightly appeased when I heard the welcome that greeted me in the Great Hall - three quarters of the school gave me the evil-eye like I was the messenger of Lord Snake-Bastard, himself - the Slytherins, meanwhile, cheered me. Flint greeted me with a mix of warmth and warning ... this was my last chance, but until I blew it I was still part of the team, and the most important player, at that. I sat next to Flint, and basked in the full glory of being a member of the 'evil team', the 'enemy', the 'anti-heroes'. Now, this is the way life should be - now all I need to do is beat the so-called hero, and my day will be perfect.  
  
That happy train of thought was ruined by a sudden outburst of cheers and applause, from the other three houses ... the 'hero' had deigned to grace us with his presence. I glared at Potter and muttered a string of profanities that made Flint whack me in the back of the head and tell me off for my language (this is Marcus Flint I'm talking about - the boy who made Snape blush, with his use of swear-words alone). The whole of Slytherin house was quick enough on the uptake, and commenced booing, hissing and insulting, fairly promptly.  
  
"Last chance, Malfoy - if he wins, you're off the team." Flint hissed at me. I stared at Potter with a cross between hatred and apprehension - I didn't want to lose, at the best of times, but especially not to him. While his fan-club proceeded to encourage him with wishes of luck, I took deliberate note of my lack-of-a-fan-club, and lack of any positive encouragement - only threats to discourage failure.  
  
I couldn't afford to lose.  
  
* * *  
  
After Flint's usual 'inspirational' speech ("if you can't beat them, I'll beat you ... to a bloody pulp"), I found myself walking out onto the Quidditch pitch, facing Potter. The announcer picked up on the fact that Flint had changed most of the team, so that I was by far the shortest person on our side. I had told him this was a bad idea, but he had made a point of ignoring me.  
  
When the team captains were ordered to shake hands, they tried to break each other's hands.  
  
And so the highly anticipated, and most important Quidditch match of the year was underway.  
  
I did my best to ignore the commentary - what was the point of listening to biased Gryffindor babbling, anyway? And instead kept a close eye on Potter, while still trying to see the Snitch for myself. This tactic proved idiotic, when he deliberately flew off after an imaginary Snitch, and I fell for it. Still, better to follow him than let him pull that stunt when it's not his imagination.  
  
I vaguely heard the commentator saying Gryffindor were leading by 70-10 ... that meant that if the Snitch was caught now, it would matter who caught it. And at that exact moment Potter took off aiming for a point high up over the edge of the Slytherin scoring area - I followed, also looking to that area, and saw this was no feint. I couldn't catch up at this point - I knew it ... so I went for a stalling tactic, instead, grabbing the tail of Potter's broom, to stop him reaching the Snitch.  
  
Madam Hooch was yelling, "Penalty to Gryffindor!" So Gryffindor got a penalty - big deal - the point was that the Snitch was no longer anywhere to be seen - Potter hadn't caught it, so the game was still on, "I've never seen such tactics!" Look in Quidditch Through the Ages - the technical term for that sort of foul is Blagging.  
  
The Gryffindor commentator was yelling, "YOU CHEATING SCUM! YOU FILTHY CHEATING BASTARD!"  
  
"Thank you." I muttered, smirking ... the penalty missed, anyway.  
  
After that incident, I decided to get as far away from Potter as possible ... of course, as soon as I do that, he starts following me - probably intent on stopping me from catching the Snitch. He was keeping so close to me, I hadn't a hope of seeing anything, let alone catching it ... unless you count the plague he's carrying (joke). He bumped into me a couple of times, and at every turn he tried to block me - he was doing an excellent impersonation of a very annoying shadow.  
  
I turned away from him, and somehow he managed to be right in my way again - bloody Firebolt - how fast is that damned thing anyway? "Get out of it, Potter!"  
  
I was amazed when he actually flew off, in the opposite direction ... turns out it wasn't because I told him to (not that I had expected him to listen to me, anyway), but because he had decided to ruin Flint's latest defence strategy, by taking a kamikaze dive at the entire Slytherin team, forcing them to scatter, and let the Gryffindor Chaser get to the goals unobstructed.  
  
Stupid bloody suicidal Gryffindor ... the worst thing is it worked.  
  
I turned around, with the simple intent of putting more distance between myself and Potter, when I saw it - a few feet above the grass just outside the Gryffindor scoring area - the Snitch. Potter was still trying to kill himself - this time trying to take half the audience with him - so I dove for it - catch this and we win.  
  
I pushed the Nimbus 2001 as fast as it would go, lying flat against the broom, to get more speed - I was almost there when I felt more than saw Potter catching up - I debated between racing him and kicking out at him, but the aerodynamic distortion of kicking would throw me off as well, so I just tried to push the broom faster - he drew level, as I reached out for the Snitch - I literally felt the cold metal of one of the Snitch's wings brush against my finger-tips, before Potter shoved my hand out of the way and grabbed the Snitch himself.  
  
Is it just my imagination, or did the Gryffindor just cheat? I wondered, and I pulled up just short of crashing into the ground.  
  
I watched, detached, as the Gryffindor team dog-piled on top of Potter, in mid-air, and sank to the ground, to be mobbed by their fans from three houses. I flew off over the crowd, and landed at the entrance to the Slytherin changing rooms.  
  
"You lost." Flint growled.  
  
"Your troll-impersonating Chasers got it to the point where we could lose." I snapped back, sidestepping him, and disappearing down the corridor - I didn't go into the showers, this time - instead, I grabbed my school robes, still carrying the Nimbus 2001, and took off over the forest, to land on the edge of the lake.  
  
* * *  
  
I sat and stared out across the water, sulking. No one tried to follow me.  
  
"You lost, huh?" a hoarse yet recognisable voice asked - Black.  
  
"Yeah." I muttered, "Potter cheated."  
  
"That's hardly likely."  
  
"He cheated - I had the Snitch and he knocked my hand out of the way - the thing touched my hand - he grabbed it from me, when I should have won." I said coldly.  
  
"Hmm ... ok - that does sound like him ... takes after his father ... you should have seen the hissy-fit Snape took when James beat him to the Snitch in almost the same way." Black said, sitting down beside me.  
  
I smirked faintly, "I'd pay for photographs of THAT, if you have any."  
  
He shrugged, "Sorry - everything I owned got confiscated by the Ministry. Any word on my rat?"  
  
"Nothing heard so far." I said honestly.  
  
I swear I heard him growl without changing into the dog first.  
  
"Don't worry ... I'm sure everything'll work out fine." I said, not sure whether I meant he'd get caught, or he'd get acquitted. I didn't much care either way.  
  
"Yuhuh." he muttered, "Look at it this way - I hear things - the cat tells me things, and I know that your team captain tried to get you kicked off the team ... well, he's not gonna be here next year, so he can't carry out his threat."  
  
"You think awfully logically for someone who's been in Azkaban for twelve years." I noted.  
  
"Yep ... that always did puzzle me." he muttered.  
  
"You genuinely believe you're innocent, don't you?" I asked.  
  
"Yes ... of bloody course!" he said, affronted that I might think he was lying.  
  
"Well, maybe it's that belief that's kept you sane." I said, wryly, "Surely being stuck in that place when you're innocent must be better torture than making you lose your mind for it."  
  
He made a grunting noise that could possibly be agreement. "Anyway - no offence, but I'm pleased with the outcome of the match - I was a Gryffindor, and I'm Harry's godfather, so I was rooting for the Gryffindors."  
  
"Sure you weren't rooting through the trash?" I asked.  
  
"Ha bloody ha." he muttered, looking at the filthy state of his hands, "It looks like it, though - doesn't it?" he added, thoughtfully.  
  
I shook my head, trying not to laugh, "I like you - I don't care which side you're on, I still don't know if I believe you - but I like you."  
  
"Oh, bloody brilliant ... a Malfoy likes me ... that's great - just great ... means everyone'll be more keen to believe I'm on the wrong side. Thanks." he said sarcastically.  
  
I laughed, "Thank you, very much." I said, also sarcastically.  
  
He shrugged, smirking, "Keep an eye out for the rat ... please." he said, looking at me, now with a grave expression, "I'm running out of time."  
  
I nodded, "Yeah ... I'll see what I can do." I said, more inclined to believe him, now, but still unsure about it.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 18 


	19. Time Turner

This chapter is dedicated to Akuma-Sama ... you write mini-scenes that have no relevance to the fic, so can I:  
  
Crabbe and Goyle troop onto a cheap stage that creaks under their combined weight, "What were we meant to do?" Goyle asks Crabbe.  
  
Crabbe shows Goyle the note with their instructions on it in Comic Sans typeface.  
  
"Wha's 'at say?" Goyle asks dumbly.  
  
"I dunno." Crabbe admits.  
  
Draco walks out onto the stage, whacks Goyle, then whack Crabbe, and mutters to both of them the instructions he and VM had both given them at least two dozen times.  
  
The Two Twits nod dumbly. Draco leaves the stage muttering, "Can't get good help these days."  
  
Crabbe clears his throat, Goyle looks confused, then they both start to sing horribly off-key, "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Akumasamathedemonlord, happy birth-day, tooo-ooooo-ooooooooooooo you!"  
  
"Boo! Get off the stage!" VMorticia yells, as she, Draco, Theo, and Blaise throw various rotten fruit and veg at the Two Twits, while Pansy files her nails not deigning to touch the rotten foodstuffs.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle leave the stage quickly, to boos from the audience and ominous creaking from the stage itself.  
  
Theo jumps up onto the stage, and removes the blood-lolly-pop from his mouth, then perfectly in tune, to the tune of We Wish You A Merry Christmas, "We wish you a happy birthday, we wish you a happy birthday, we wish you a happy birthday, and have fun being eighteen!"  
  
The crowd cheers and applauds, and many shouts, from both real and fictitious characters, of "Happy birthday!" can be heard.  
  
* * *  
  
Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Goyle's behaviour in the Muggle Studies exam is inspired by an excellent cult-TV program - which one, you ask? If you can't guess, you don't deserve to know.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
fcuking cathy: Yeah, she gets visions ... but nothing major since CoS. Black has been watching Harry and asking Crookshanks about him, and what he's seen/heard indicates Harry is a lot like James.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Yep, he did cheat.  
  
Exodia Himself: Just wait till you read what my twisted mind made of Blast-Ended Skrewts :P  
  
dragonsprincess: Well, Sirius was right ... on both counts ... wasn't he?  
  
Here, we find out about Hermione's little secret ... although it's only due to Slytherin logic, not her willingness to tell us.  
  
Chapter 19 - Time Turner  
  
Exams were easy ... really ... honestly. I had a free hour before my Muggle Studies exam, and Hermione made a point of showing up ... odd - I'm sure I'd just seen her going off to her Defence exam.  
  
"Hello, Granger." I said, sneering as usual.  
  
"Hello, Malfoy." she replied with a sneer to match my own.  
  
We glared at each other for some time, "Buckbeak's appeal is this afternoon, I've heard." she said, simply. [A/N: she heard an few hours later, by the way - I worked the timing out carefully.]  
  
"So?" I asked.  
  
"So I want you to help - get him acquitted." she snapped.  
  
"One, I have exams this afternoon -"  
  
"That can be worked around." she interrupted.  
  
I glared, "Two, I can't go against my father, and my own previous - if a bit rash - decision. And just how could we 'work around' the both of us having a Muggle Studies exam at the exact same time as the appeal?" I gave her a searching look.  
  
She shifted uncomfortably under my gaze, "Um ..."  
  
"You must have a good trick up your sleeve, for that." I grinned, "Someone else willing to take Polyjuice to take our exams for us?" I asked, deliberately bringing up the incident in second year.  
  
"No ... not that." she said, not meeting my eyes.  
  
"So what, then?" I asked.  
  
"Nothing." she muttered, looking guilty.  
  
"See, this is the problem with Gryffindors - they can't lie to save their lives." I said, smirking, "So what have you got up your sleeve?" I asked.  
  
"It's not up my sleeve." she looked at me and smirked, "It's down the front of my shirt, and unless you want me to shriek so loud that Trelawney hears me, you'll not be trying anything, will you?"  
  
I smirked, "I wouldn't dare - I have no intention of being deafened ... or slapped again."  
  
"Good, then this line of conversation is over." she said, giving me a stern look.  
  
"I - I'm sorry, I can't do anything about the Hippogriff." I said, dropping my mask and giving her an honest look, "I made a rash decision ... a - a mistake ... but I can't take it back now." it really took me a lot of effort to admit this, but something about the look she gave me made me want to drop to my knees and beg her for forgiveness ... I didn't, but the fact that I even considered it was unnerving.  
  
* * *  
  
The Muggle Studies exam was by far the most difficult of the lot - but I did get through it. Eventually. Crabbe and Goyle were another matter altogether - they tried to cheat. Their idea of cheating was this: Crabbe, after answering the only two questions he thought he had a guess at, took a pinch of Zonko's nose-bleed powder (that must be what they bought in Zonko's a while ago), and covered his exam paper with blood - this landed him in the Hospital Wing for the rest of the day. Meanwhile, Goyle wrote "I am a rubber duck" five hundred times, did a funny little dance and fainted. Crabbe got away with it, but was told he has to re-sit the test at the end of the week. Goyle failed spectacularly, on the spot.  
  
* * *  
  
That evening, I was watching from the Library window as the sun started to set - the Hippogriff was waiting irritably for the executioner - I felt really sorry for it.  
  
Then I spotted Potter and Hermione trying to sneak round to the edge of the Forest near Hagrid's hut. What confused me was that, as I watched the two Ministry men walking down to Hagrid's hut I had quite a clear view as Potter, Weasley and Hermione appeared out of the back of Hagrid's hut and threw an Invisibility Cloak around themselves ... so I was right - I so have to get me one of those. But who had I just seen run down to the Forest, then?  
  
Curiouser and curiouser.  
  
The second I saw this, I bolted, down to the dungeons as fast as I could, and almost hit Snape in the face, as he opened the door of his office just as I was about to knock it. "Professor Snape." I said, surprised. Not that I was surprised to see him, just that I was surprised that he'd appeared before I'd knocked.  
  
"What seems to be the matter, Mr Malfoy?" Snape asked, not stopping, as he started walking briskly upwards, carrying a smoking goblet of some potion or other.  
  
I had to jog to keep up with him, as I said, "Potter ... Weasley ... and Granger ... they're down at ... Hagrid's hut." quite out of breath, but then I had run all the way down there.  
  
"Really?" he asked, in a malicious tone. I nodded, "I will deal with them as soon as I drop off this potion to Professor Lupin." he said - somehow making Lupin's name sound like a derogatory term.  
  
I shivered, realising this was a wolf moon tonight, but didn't say anything to that. I followed Snape, hoping to get the opportunity to gloat when he caught Potter and his friends out where they shouldn't be. But when we got to the Defence teacher's office, Lupin was conspicuously absent. On his desk was a piece of parchment, but no teacher.  
  
Snape swore quite fluently, before stalking over to the desk and examining the parchment there. He swore again, much more profusely, and ordered me not to follow him, then swept out of the room, all-but-running. As he disappeared around the corner, I heard his footsteps accelerate to probably as fast as he could run.  
  
Strange. I wondered what that parchment said that upset Snape so much. So I walked over to read it.  
  
'Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs  
  
Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers  
  
are proud to present  
  
THE MARAUDER'S MAP'  
  
The words were written in scrawling handwriting at the top of what appeared to be - as the title said - a map. Of Hogwarts. Including many secret passageways that I had never seen before.  
  
I stared at it for a minute, before quickly taking out a blank piece of parchment from my pocket and a quill from Lupin's desk. I started to copy out as much of the map as I could. Obviously I couldn't copy the moving dots that represented the inhabitants of the castle, but knowing where the secret passageways were would be a good one-up on my current state of knowledge - I wasn't about to steal from the werewolf.  
  
I had just finished copying all the dungeon, first, second, third and fourth floor passageways, and was starting on the fifth floor, when a movement on the map caught my eye - someone labelled Harry Potter and someone else labelled Hermione Granger were standing bloody close to someone labelled Sirius Black ... but what confused me was another dot labelled Harry Potter was at the far side of the lake, and a second Hermione Granger was in Hagrid's hut ... I stared for a few seconds, then went back to my copying - the top three floors had fewer secret passageways, anyway, and it didn't take long for me to finish taking notes.  
  
I pocketed my parchment, and replaced the quill on the table, and glanced at the map again - Snape, Black, Weasley (Ron), Potter and Hermione were all moving towards the castle ... although the other Potter and Hermione were now close together at the far side of the lake. What was going on? Did Hermione have some way of being in two places at once?  
  
I took note of this detail to worry about later, and bolted from the room, towards the Entrance Hall, where I waited for Snape to return - the map didn't show what state anyone on it was in - I had no idea if Snape was all right, or not - so I waited with my hand on my wand, just in case I felt the need to hex anyone.  
  
The floating unconscious bodies of Potter, Weasley, and Hermione came through the main doors first ... closely followed by the much less carefully levitated but equally unconscious body of Sirius Black ... followed by Professor Snape, who was obviously in control of the hovering charms. I relaxed a little, and stepped out of the shadows, "What's going on, Professor?" I asked.  
  
"I told you to stay out of the way." Snape snapped.  
  
"I did - I kept myself well out of the way until I saw it was safe." I replied icily.  
  
He glared at me, but then smiled, "I have apprehended Sirius Black, single-handed. He seemed to have some sort of confundus charm on Potter and his lackeys, that made them firmly believe Ronald Weasley's pet rat was Peter Pettigrew." he explained in the tone of a great hero who had saved the day.  
  
I froze, and stared at Black in shock ... he caught the rat?  
  
"Yes, amazing isn't it?" Snape continued with a proud smirk, and an almost palpable air of smugness. He must have misinterpreted the cause of my shock. "Of course, it just proves how much of a gullible fool Potter is ... much like his father."  
  
I nodded slowly, "So was there even a rat there?" I asked, trying to make it sound like I was agreeing with him.  
  
"Weasley's rat was there, yes ... though I can't imagine what leap of idiocy inspired them all to believe that the creature - which I myself have used to test potions on - was anything but a cheap substitute for a castle rodent." he said sneeringly.  
  
I nodded in agreement, while staring at the unconscious Gryffindolts. "Idiots." I muttered.  
  
"Indeed." he said, coldly, "Now, go back to your common room, Mr Malfoy." I nodded reluctantly, and did as I was told.  
  
I got down to the common room in record time, "Cat, Blaise - emergency meeting." I muttered to the two girls, who quickly rounded up their gossip with Milli and some fourth year girl - I didn't know her name - and they followed me into the boys' dorm room, "Crabbe, Goyle - out - NOW!" they gathered up some parchments, and a book with a blank cover, and evacuated the room pretty quickly.  
  
Cat and Blaise looked at me with curiosity, while Theo bounced on his bed, obviously hyper again ... someone needs to teach that boy to go easy on the sugar.  
  
"Black's been captured ... but ... there's something odd going on." I took out my Spy Ball, and tapped it once, muttering the name "Hermione Granger." and what it showed was a sort of split-screen - one showed her lying on the bed in the hospital wing, the other showed her talking to Harry Potter at the far side of the lake.  
  
"What the -?" Theo asked.  
  
"It looks like there's two of them." I said, staring - there was another Harry Potter in the background of the Hospital Wing, too. "I have no idea how, though."  
  
Blaise started counting off on her fingers, "Duplicating Spell. Polyjuice Potion. Illusion Charms. Time Turner. Glamoury."  
  
"Time Turner? What's that?" Cat asked.  
  
"It's a necklace that looks like an hourglass, and it turns back time, so you can do two things at once." I replied, thinking ... hadn't Hermione said she didn't have any tricks up her sleeve - it was down the front of her shirt - like a necklace. "I think Time Turner is our best bet - Polyjuice and Glamoury wouldn't fool the Spy Ball ... Duplicating Spells are really complicated, and an Illusion Charm wouldn't have lasted for two and a half hours, so far." I noted, "Though where she got her hands on one, I don't know."  
  
"What makes you so sure it's Hermione who got her hands on it?" Theo asked.  
  
"She dropped a few hints ... and if my theory is right, she's been using it all year to get to so many classes." I noted.  
  
"Yeah ... makes sense." Theo conceded.  
  
"Besides, Potter's not that smart." I noted, glancing at the spy ball ... the Hippogriff was there. "What the hell?"  
  
"It's Buckbeak ... shouldn't he be dead by now?" Theo asked.  
  
"Yes ... he should." I said distantly, "Unless someone wants to seriously piss off my father ... I can just imagine Potter playing hero for the poor defenceless creature." I was smirking, now. I hoped it did piss him off.  
  
I watched in amusement as the two Gryffindors took off on the Hippogriff and flew around the school.  
  
"What are they playing at? They could get in so much trouble!" Blaise said, shocked, then after a few seconds to think on this, she added, "Let's hope they get expelled for it."  
  
I shook my head and turned off the spy ball - I didn't want to see Potter flying around on that thing - even if they didn't know I could see them, it still felt like they were trying to rub it in my face, somehow.  
  
"Hey! I was watching that!" Theo whined.  
  
"So?" I asked, then decided to change the subject, "Now, here's the good news - I found a map of Hogwarts, with all the secret passageways on it ... it was in Lupin's office, and there's no way I'd steal from him - he can't afford it anyway - but I copied it all down here." and I held up the parchment for them to see.  
  
That successfully changed the subject, as we all started deciding exactly what to do with this new-found knowledge.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 19 


	20. And So Ends Another School Year

Disclaimer: Much as I'd like to, I don't own Draco Malfoy, or any part of the magical world that J.K. Rowling has all the copyrights to ... please don't sue me. There are some parts of this story that are quotes from the book - it can't be helped - events are the same as in the book, but Draco's opinion of these events may vary from Harry's.  
  
Quote from Xander, in BtVS, at the end of this chapter.  
  
Author's Notes: I needed to do some re-writing, after reading OotP. I have made some minor changes to this chapter, mostly spelling and grammar.  
  
Starre: Thank you.  
  
angelkas: Just a bit? I think it's funny it why there's all those rubber ducks!  
  
Akuma-sama: You're welcome. Theo says "thank you". And my birthday's not for a while yet.  
  
fcuking cathy: l8er.  
  
Caz Malfoy: Of course they're smart - they're good Slytherins (Crabbe and Goyle don't count, they only got into Slytherin by threatening to rip the hat to shreds if they didn't get in ... they shoulda been Hufflepuffs, they're that loyal to the bad-guys).  
  
Rain10: Here's more now ...  
  
Finally I get to write an original scene with Harry in it ... the real PoA book says, and I quote: "Malfoy was furious about Buckbeak. He was convinced that Hagrid had found some way of smuggling the Hippogriff to safety, and seemed outraged that he and his father had been outwitted by a gamekeeper." - this means Harry must have been witness to Draco acting like this. So that means I get to write the actual dialogue - yay!  
  
Chapter 20 - And So Ends Another School Year  
  
Snape was not pleased the next morning - to put it mildly, he was livid. Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and I had the misfortune to be passing his office when he emerged looking like someone had told him the Potions curriculum was cancelled and his new job was to look after the flobberworms Hagrid had us trying not to kill off last week.  
  
He growled at us to get out of the way, then paused, "Miss Parkinson - I have something to tell you, as long as you promise not to tell anyone else." he said, smirking.  
  
"Yes?" Pansy asked, careful not to actually say she promised anything.  
  
"Did you know Lupin is a werewolf?" he asked, smirking. It seemed obvious to me that he intended Pansy (who is one of the worst gossips in the school) to tell everyone.  
  
"Oh." she said, simply. Snape nodded and wandered off, seeming faintly appeased, but still pissed off. As soon as he was out of earshot, "Wait till I tell Milli!" and Pansy was off.  
  
I guess that's Lupin as good as fired.  
  
I'm not sure if Pansy spread the word that fast, or if Snape told some of the other most-likely-to-gossip students, but either way, by the time Crabbe, Goyle and I got to the Great Hall it was buzzing with the news that not only was Lupin a werewolf, but that he had also been loose on the grounds last night.  
  
Rumours started from there that the werewolf had attacked Potter and friends, and that was why they were in the Hospital Wing ... that Black had also attacked them, and gotten away ... that Black was working with the werewolf, but the professor's human side knew nothing about it ... that Black was working with the werewolf and of course Lupin knew exactly what had been going on the whole time ... that Potter had tried to turn Black into a rat, and that's how Black got away ... that Hermione had cast some sort of spell so the executioner wouldn't see the Hippogriff ... that the giant squid was pregnant ...  
  
... ok, that last one wasn't really relevant, was it? And people should know better - Hagrid said quite clearly in our first year that the squid was male!  
  
* * *  
  
That afternoon was spent at Hogsmeade.  
  
"I swear I will find a way in here, if it kills me." I growled, glaring at the Shrieking Shack.  
  
"It just might." Theo noted. This time we had brought Cat (psychic-girl) and Blaise (logic-girl) to see if they could help us shed some light on the puzzle. How the bloody hell did Sirius Black find his way into the castle, and if he did sneak in through the Shack, as Theo believed, then how did he get in there?  
  
Blaise walked very slowly around the walls, examining them for any unevenness, or cracks that could indicate a secret entrance. "Nothing." she said, finally, "If there is a secret entrance, it's magically hidden."  
  
Cat watched the back wall insistently, and after a minute seemed to get that glazed look in her eyes, "I, Catarina Black, demand entrance to this building, in the name of Padfoot." she said, distantly. And a door appeared magically, in the back wall.  
  
"Way cool!" Theo cheered - he took one step into the building, and froze, "This place is totally trashed ... and those are teeth-marks." he said simply.  
  
"Moony's been here." Cat said, as if we would know who she was talking about.  
  
"Moony? Who or what is Moony?" Blaise asked.  
  
"The wolf." I whispered, realising Lupin had been good friends with Black ... so that had to be it, right? Cat nodded, and we quickly sealed the place up, and never spoke of it again.  
  
* * *  
  
"Theo - remember - you know nothing about what we saw in the spy-ball the other night - right?" I said coldly, as we made our way up to the Great Hall a few days later.  
  
Theo nodded, "Yeah, yeah." he muttered, downcast.  
  
"Now where are those two twits?" I asked.  
  
"Last I heard, they said something about plan B - I worry about those two sometimes." Theo explained.  
  
"Plan B? That can not be a good sign." I said, then turned the corner into the Entrance Hall and effected a look of fury that inspired a group of Hufflepuff first-years to run for cover. I stalked into the Great Hall, impersonating a severely displeased vampire. Theo gave me a mildly fearful look, but knew better than to ask what I was up to, instead choosing to slip quietly off to the Slytherin table, when I almost ran into Potter and his gang.  
  
"Watch where you're going, Malfoy." Potter's pet Weasel growled.  
  
"Oh, go play with the giant squid, Weasley." I snapped in response.  
  
"You're in a bad mood today, Malfoy." Hermione noted, smiling innocently.  
  
"You noticed - how observant for a Mudblood." I replied.  
  
"Take that back!" Weasley all-but-yelled.  
  
"I know why he's mad." Hermione said, putting a hand on Weasley's shoulder to stop him from hexing me (he seemed to freeze when she touched him - could this boy make it any more obvious that he fancies her?). She smiled a saccharine sweet smile, "He's upset that Buckbeak got away, isn't he?"  
  
"I love being talked to in the third person, Granger - you're reminding me of a house-elf." I snapped. She just smiled that faux-sweet smile. "And it's none of your business, anyway ... not like you would have been stupid enough to help the gamekeeper get rid of dangerous creatures, is it? Oh, wait - what about that dragon in first year?" I asked quietly.  
  
"Too bad, Malfoy - looks like you'll have to wait a few years yet for your first murder." Hermione added.  
  
"Wasn't trying to murder the Hippogriff ... I was trying to have it executed - big difference - one is legal, the other's not." I replied.  
  
"Didn't think you'd care about legalities, Malfoy." Potter replied coldly.  
  
"Not usually, but I don't intend to ever get caught doing anything illegal." I answered. I then turned and stalked off to the Slytherin table muttering just loud enough for Potter and his friends to hear me, about how a "Bloody gamekeeper shouldn't be able to get the better of my father ..."  
  
When I got to the Slytherin table, Pansy looked at me curiously, "What was that about?" she asked, while I glared at Potter and his friends, as they left the Great Hall.  
  
"Hippogriff ... got away ... I am going to hurt something ... or someone." I growled quietly. She edged away from me nervously.  
  
Theo took the opportunity of her now abandoned seat to move to sit next to me, "Hey ... nice temper-tantrum, Draco." he got whacked in the head for that.  
  
A few seats down, Crabbe and Goyle were clearing a space on the table, where they then placed an odd looking contraption, and tapped it with a wand - it started making ominous noises.  
  
"Five Galleons says that blows up." Theo said, eyeing the 'machine' nervously.  
  
"I'm not stupid enough to accept that bet - you'd win." I replied.  
  
Crabbe then produced a bag of Bertie Botts every flavour beans, and put a handful of beans into the top of the machine. It shuddered and hisses a bit, then made a squirting noise, and a pile of earwax, snot, and spinach appeared out of one of the two holes at the bottom of the machine, in a pool of vinegar.  
  
Crabbe and Goyle looked at each other in confusion, "It's not meant to do that." Crabbe said. Goyle just looked stupid.  
  
Then the machine shuddered some more, steam emitting from the top of it, and a mixture of chocolate, peppermints, strawberries and chicken curry appeared out of the other hole.  
  
"What were you two trying to do?" Blaise asked, from where she was unfortunately sitting opposite the two twits.  
  
"Make it sort the beans into nice or yucky flavours." Crabbe replied, looking confused.  
  
"Well it did that, didn't it?" Blaise replied coldly. She tapped the machine with her wand, muttering a Transfiguration spell. "Try that." she said.  
  
And after clearing up the mess the first try had made, Crabbe put another handful of beans into the machine, and got two neat piles of beans, both looked innocent enough, but on tasting them, Goyle confirmed that they had indeed been sorted properly by flavour.  
  
Crabbe then put these two piles into separate bags, and proceeded to sort the rest of the bag of beans.  
  
"The culmination of a year's worth of work ... one bean-sorting machine, when any self-respecting first-year can cast a bean-sorting spell with a wave of a wand." I said, staring at the idiots.  
  
Then Crabbe and Goyle started squabbling like children, over who got to hold on to the bag of good beans, and who got to hand out the bad beans to unsuspecting students.  
  
"And when I'm marvelling at immaturity, you be scared." Theo added.  
  
* * *  
  
Bloody Gryffindor won the bloody house cup again.  
  
And I fell asleep on the train ride home, and forgot to torment Potter. All in all, not a good end to the year.  
  
* * *  
  
End of chapter 20  
  
End of Book 3  
  
Part four can be found at this address: http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=1545745 


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